Broken Trust
by lady-warrioress
Summary: Botan has been violently attacked and everyone blames Hiei though he insists it wasn't his fault. How will he ever be able to prove he didn't do it? Will Botan ever forgive him? I suck at summaries. If ya read please REVIEW! Some OOCness. HieixBotan
1. Chapter 1

**Disclamer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. **

CHAPTER 1

Hiei stood in the doorway of Botan's apartment, frozen in shock at what he saw. At his feet, books, papers, soil from the potted palm tree, and broken glass littered the floor. It got worse when he raised his eyes. Torn curtains, the couch shredded as if giant cat claws had been run across it, the cusions burst open with their stuffing showing. Even the walls looked bad. Claw marks and something red adorned the walls. Wait! Something red? He stepped closer to the wall. Blood. He looked away from it and stepped farther into the room. He saw the bedroom door swaying back and forth slightly, on one hinge, and headed toward that room. He pushed the door open all the way and it let out a long, low creek as it did so. He wasn't prepared for what he saw in there. The walls, were covered in the more redness and claw marks, the bed was stripped of both blankets and pillows, these things lay shredded in a corner. Botan's dresser had been torn to match sticks and her figurienes, all her little mystical figures, lay shattered on the floor. He stood staring at this mess for the longest time. Not exactly sure what he was seeing. What had happened here?

"Hello?" he called, his blood red eyes scanning the room for any sign of Botan. "Onna? Are you here?"

His only responce came in a low moan. He looked toward the sound and spotted a figure, clothed in a white night dress and bloody, lying on the floor near the broken bed. "Botan!" he exclaimed, running over to her and kneeling down beside her. He gently lifted her head into his arms and shook her lightly. "Onna," he said. "Wake up!"

She moaned and opened her eyes halfway. "Hiei," she slurred when she recognized him.

"Botan," he said, not bothering to call her by her nickname anymore. "What happened here? Who did this?"

She was silent for the longest time as she stared at his face. Finally she grabbed his arm as her eyes widened at the memory. "It was..," she gasped. "It was YOU!" then she fainted dead away.

His own eyes widened in horror. Him? When had he done this? He didn't remember doing this. When he'd left her house around midnight he'd gone straight to the town park to do some training before he went to sleep. He'd never came back. In fact this is what woke him up so early. He'd just fallen asleep when he'd sensed she was in trouble. There was no way he could have done this.

He spotted something on her neck and let her go. He backed away from her, his eyes locked on the mark on the lower part of her neck. Teeth marks. Recognition made his body tremble whether he wanted it to or not. "My... I... No..." he stammered staring at the marks in denial. "This... this.."_ Those are my teeth marks! How did this happen? What is going on? I... I didn't... _He sat there for the longest time, his body frozen in shock and disbelief. There was no way this was real. It had to be a dream. A nightmare he'd wake up from soon.

He heard footsteps pounding into the living room of the apartment and someone shout out. "What the hell? Botan! BOTAN!" Running feet. He knew they were coming toward the bedroom but he didn't move. Didn't try to leave. What was the point? Besides; his body wouldn't let him.

A moment later Yusuke and Kurama entered the room and froze a few steps in. They took in the blood, claw marks, and ruined furniture before they looked down at the floor where they spotted Hiei sitting against the wall, his face unreadable and Botan lying bloody on the floor a foot away. They came to their own conclusions.

"Hiei," Kurama began, seeing but not wanting to believe.

What could he say? What words could he use? What words would they believe? No words came to mind. He looked away. He knew they wouldn't believe anything he said. _It wasn't me!_

"What did you do?" Yusuke demanded, glaring at Hiei. "What have you done to Botan?"

_It wasn't me! _

"Hiei," Kurama said again, still not moving.

"What did you do to Botan?" Yusuke shouted, grabbing Hiei by the front of his cloak and pulling him to his feet.

_IT WASN'T ME! _he refused to meet the youth's eyes.

Yusuke shook him in anger. "What did you do to Botan?" he demanded again, as he shook the Koorime roughly.

"Stop it, Yusuke!" Kurama ordered, grabbing the raven haired half demon and forcing him to let Hiei go. Hiei fell back against the wall and slumped to the floor like an old rag doll. "There's another way," Kurama told Yusuke.

Yusuke nodded as he forced himself to calm down. "Okay," he said, more to himself than Kurama. "You're right. I'm sorry." he looked back at Hiei who was still slumped against the wall. "He's your best friend. You ask him."

"Okay," Kurama said nodding. He looked down at Hiei and asked. "What happened here? What did you do to Botan?"

_Nothing... _Hiei's eyes slowly met Kurama's. What could he tell Kurama? That he'd viciously attacked the onna because she wouldn't sleep with him? That he'd tried to rape her? That hed' tried to kill her because she was pregnant? He couldn't say anything like that. It hadn't been him. He'd never hurt Botan like that. He couldn't. He loved her. She was _his_ baka ferry onna and she was the only one who knew. They'd never told anyone else. They weren't going to until the right time. They wouldn't understand and now... thanks to this, they'd never believe them anyway.

He took a deep breath to try to explain how he'd found her. "I-" he began but Yusuke punched him in the face. "Don't you say anything!" Yusuke shouted, as Kurama held him back. "I don't want to hear your lies!"

"Enough Yusuke!" the red haired fox demon commanded, turning him around and punching him in the face. "How do you plan on getting anything out of him if you won't let him talk?"

"I don't want to hear a single word from his lying mouth," Yusuke shot back, holding his cheek where Kurama had hit him. "He has no right to speek after what he's done to her."

"How do you know he was the one who did it?" Kurama demanded. "He could have found everything like this."

"I don't think so," Yusuke snapped. "This looks like something he'd do."

Hiei felt a pinch of anger at that comment. Is this what Yusuke really thought of him? That he'd tear up the baka onna's apartment and assult her like that? He opened his mouth to say something then shut it. Anything he said would just be used against him.

Kurama was still trying to reason with Yusuke. "If you want him to pay for what he did call Koemna and ask him to get over here. He'll know what to do."

Yusuek thought that over and nodded. "Okay," he said, then looked at Hiei and down at Botan. "What about Botan? What about _him_?"

Kurama looked at Hiei and Botan. "I'll call an ambulence to take Botan to the hospital," he said. His eyes locked with Hiei's for a moment. "I don't know about Hiei."

"Well we can't let him out of our sight," Yusuke said. "He might run away."

Hiei glared at the raven haired half demon. He wasn't a coward. He wouldn't run away. He knew if he did he'd just look guilty.

"I don't know," Kurama said, looking his friend over. "Maybe you could tie him up or something."

Hiei stared at the fox in disbelief. Did those words just come from _Kurama's_ mouth? Didn't he trust the koorime either? _Kurama... what are you thinking? _

Yusuke seemed to be thinking that over. Finally he said. "I'll call Koemna and you do something about Hiei. I'll be right back," he left the bedroom to make the call, closing the door behind him.

When he was gone Kurama leaned over and gently lifted Botan off the floor and set her down on the mattress, all the time keeping a sharp eye on his friend. Then he turned to Hiei and didn't do anything. He just stood there staring, his eyes trying to make sense out of the whole situation. Hiei wasn't the type of person do go around hurting defenseless women, especially Botan who had never done a thing to hurt him. In fact Hiei hadn't even shown any of his violent side in a long time. Lately he seemed calmer and a little more open. He'd even cracked a smile that wasn't cocky the other day. He'd actually been amused by a joke someone had told him. This act of violence was a complete surprise.

"Hiei," he said slowly.

"It wasn't me," Hiei interrupted.

"I would like to believe you," Kurama began.

"You'd _like _to believe me?" Hiei demanded, getting up and facing his friend. "What is that suppost to mean? Don't you believe me? You're my best friend and you don't believe me!?" he looked hurt as he glanced over at Botan. "Why would I want to hurt her?"

"I don't know," Kurama said, still looking unsure. "But I do know the claw marks on the wall and that bite mark on Botan's neck belong to you. I've seen how you get when you let your other side take over. Maybe that's what happened here."

"I wasn't even at her apartment when this happened," Hiei protested. "I was in the city park, training!"

"Did anyone see you there?"

Hiei looked away. It had been past one in the morning and nobody had walked through the park at that time. "No," he said reluctantly. "It was too late for anyone to see me."

Kurama shook his head. Things were getting worse and worse every second.

"But I wasn't here," Hiei insisted, looking back at Botan. "I wouldn't do something like this. Not to someone who could do me no harm. Especially not a harmless female. I'm not that low."

Kurama said nothing but he noticed Hiei was looking at Botan with an expression he'd never seen before. Hiei's eyes had a strange look to them. They didn't seem to be reflecting much light and his face was shadowed partway. He didn't know what that face ment but he had a feeling it wasn't good. Unexpectantly he grabbed Hiei's arm and shoved him face first into the wall.

"Ow!" the koorime grunted feeling plaster smoosh against his skull. He managed to look over his shoulder at Kurama. "What are you doing?" he asked, sounding surprised.

Kurama held him there as he replied. "I don't think you should touch her."

"Why not?" Hiei growled, struggling against Kurama's hold. "I didn't do _anything _to her!"

Kurama shook his head. He felt Hiei was lying. He couldn't let his friend hurt another person. Even if it ment losing his and Hiei's friendship.

"Let me go, fox!" Hiei yelled at him, wiggling around like a worm on a hook. "Let me go or-"  
Kurama had to use both hands to hold him still. He realized he couldn't hold his friend for much longer. He also thought Hiei might attack him if and when he did let go. That wouldn't help either one of them. _I guess I have no other choice. _the fox thought. _I can't have him trying to escape and I can't have him trying to attack Botan again. _

Hiei suddenly felt something creeping around his wrists, locking them together. He scowled, realizing what Kurama was doing. _Damn fox! He's using Botan's potted plants against me. _He shoved himself backwards and almost broke away from Kurama's hold but the fox just held on and roughly shoved his friend's face even harder into the wall. This time Hiei's face hit the plaster so hard he saw stars for a moment before he forced himself to focus again. By then it was too late. Kurama had successfuly used Botan's vine plant to tie his friends wrists securily behind his back.

The fox let his friend go and he fell to his knees onto the floor. He looked over his shoulder and glared at his red haired friend, his eyes clearly readable. _Traitor! _

Kurama shook his head regretfully. "I'm sorry," he said, turning from his friend. "I am so sorry. But else could I do?."

_Believed me! _"Hn!" Hiei looked away, too angry and hurt to say anything more. _I doubt you're really sorry! You're not sorry! You wanted to do this! You don't know me as well as I thought you did. If you did, you'd never think I would do something like that to Botan... _Suddenly he was depressed. _Botan... _he looked up at the ferry girl lying on the bed, bloodly and beaten. _How could anyone do this to her? Why would someone want to make it seem like I did it to her? Who would do this? Who would want Yusuke and Kurama and the others to think I would hurt the one person I love as much as my little sister?_

* * *

Since Hiei couldn't hurt Botan now even if he tried, Kurama called for an ambulence and, as he waited for it, he decided to see if Yusuke had any luck getting ahold of Koemna. He stepped out of Botan's room and as he closed the door behind him. He turned around and saw Yusuke scowling at his phone.

"Did you get ahold of him?" the fox asked.

Yusuke shook his head. "No," he said. "He's on his honeymoon."

"Oh yeah," Kurama said, remembering. 'I'd forgotten he got married yesterday. He won't be back until next week."

"Great!" Yusuke groaned. "What are we going to do with _him _until them?" he ment Hiei not Koemna.

Kurama shook his head. "I don't know," he replied, helplessly. "I ...Yusuke..." his friend looked him in the eye. "Do you really think Hiei would do something like this?"

Yusuke frowned as he shook his head. "I don't know," he said. "It doesn't seem like something he would do but what else can I think? He was right in her bedroom looking guilty as sin when we found him. And that fact that he had a bruise on his face and seemed to be having some kind of attack didn't help."

"Hiei said he was training in the park last night," Kurama pointed out. "Maybe he got the bruise then?"

Yusuke glared at him. "Don't tell me you _believe_ him!" he exclaimed.

Kurama shook his head. "Honestly, I don't know what _to_ believe," he said, looking at the bedroom door for a moment. "He could have, everything seems to point to him, but... it seems way too easy..."

_Too easy, _Kurama thought, glancing back at the closed bedroom door. _Way too easy..._

_A/N_

_I'm a big dork aren't I? I've been in a very weird mood lately and this fic idea keeps on penatrating my brain. It's almost like I'm being forced to write it because it just won't leave my mind! No matter what I do to forget it, it comes back. Ever have that happen to you? Probably not. Anyway. Anything unexplained will most likely be explained later. The person who hurt her might or might not be Hiei. I can't tell you yet, though it's most likely not going to be Hiei. And yes this fic is HieixBotan incase you might not know. Guess that's it. Please ignore my dorkyness. _

_Hey if you read this chapter all the way through would you give me some feedback please? It would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. _


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Hiei sat in Botan's bedroom, leaning his back against the blood stained wall with his face buried in his knees. He didn't want anyone to see him like that. When the medics had come in and taken Botan away they had completely ignored him. He'd wanted to stop them or go with them but he couldn't do either. All he could do was sit and watch as she was wheeled out of her apartment on a stretcher. A new kind of despair had flowered in his heart as the door closed in his face. He might never see her again. Never see his beloved flower, his baka onna again. _But it's not my fault, _he reminded himself. _I didn't do that to her. I was framed. _

Yes, of that fact he was certain. Someone had framed him. Why, he still wasn't sure yet.

_Maybe because you deserved it? _a voice in his mind said.

_I didn't do anything, _he argued back, looking out the broken window. _ I never hurt her. I threatened her too often but I never did... never did..._

_But what if you did deserve it?_

_I didn't! Why would you even ask that? _

_What about your past?_

_I have already paid for what happened in the past. I can't go back and change things and I can't make amends for it all._

_But what if it does have something to do with your past?_

_How do you purpose I fix it? I can't even leave this room. If I did I'd look guilty._

_If you stay you'll be found guilty. _

_I know. But... what about Botan? _

_What about her?_

_She might be dead and I'll never know._

_Maybe you could visit her at the hospital?_

_I could but... If I did leave here I'd also look for the one who framed me. I can't let them get away with this. _

_Maybe you could do that too?_

_But how? _he lifted his head and looked around himself. _All I see as proof is stuff I'd be blamed for doing. Everything looks like I had done it. Everything is about the same size as if I had come in here and tore up the place. It looks like I did it even when I didn't._

_Maybe the person who framed you is small too? _

He hadn't even considered that possibility. _Maybe you're right... _he twisted his hands around and felt the vines holding them together. They didn't seem all that thick. Maybe he could break them somehow... He looked around for the plant responcible and saw it near the bed. The one pot that had escaped everything. Botan's vines. He moved slighting and got into a crouching position. Maybe if he broke that vase the plant would let him go... It was worth a shot anyway.

Counting to three under his breath he lunged at the plant and heard a satisfying crash as his body smacked into it. Almost instantly the vines around his wrists let him go and he was free. As he rubbed his wrists he looked cautiously toward the door, half expecting Yusuke or Kurama to come inside and see what the noise was. Surprisingly they didn't. He sighed with relief and stood up. He headed toward Botan's balconey and stepped outside. He looked around again, making sure his former friends wouldn't come in then jumped over the railing.

* * *

The reason why Yusuke and Kurama hadn't heard the comotion of Hiei escaping was because they had gone to the hospital when the paramedics had taken Botan away. They'd figured Hiei wouldn't be able to escape so they'd taken Kurama's car to the hospital. As they sat in the waiting room they discussed what had happened again. Kurama was still not sure about Hiei's guilt but Yusuke seemed to be bent on blaming the koorime for Botan's injuries. 

"It had to be him," he kept on insisting. "Why else would he have been there when we found her?"

"But Yusuke," Kurama began to protest. "He could have gotten there before us and found it like that. Didn't you notice he didn't have a stratch on him?"

"So?"

"If you had been in a fight with her there would have been something on him to show it."

Yusuke glared at Kurama. "You said yourself you saw a bruise on his cheek. If that's not proof that he was there when it happened I don't know what is."

"But Yusuke-" Kurama started to protest when a nurse came into the waiting room.

Both boys rose to face her. "How is she?" Yusuke asked.

"She's stable," the nurse said. "She'll make it."

Yusuke was relieved and so was Kurama. "Can we see her now?" Yusuke asked.

The nurse nodded. "But be quite," she adviced. "she's sleeping and it wouldn't be wise to wake her up right now."

The boys nodded and followed to nurse to room 900. Once there the nurse let them in then left after she once again repeated her warning. Yusuke and Kurama turned to the ferry girl lying pale on the hospital bed, her eyes closed in sleep and her sky blue hair matted with blood and fanned around her head like a second pillow.

"Botan," Yusuke said, looking down at her. "How could he have done this to you?" he patted her cheek. "Don't worry. He won't get away with this."

"Yusuke," Kurama began. "We don't know if he really did anything or not!"

"He did!" Yusuke insisted. "And when we get back he's going to tell us what he did."

"What if he does?" Kurama wanted to know.

"He will," Yusuke insisted. "I know he will. If not willingly then by force!"

Kurama shook his head. "Yusuke..."

Yusuke turned from Botan and started out of the room. "We'd better be getting back," he said walking past Kurama. "It wouldn't be wise to leave him there alone too long. He might try to get away."

The two boys left the room and Kurama said. "You shouldn't have promised her you would make Hiei pay."

"Why not?" Yusuke demanded.

"He might not have done anything."

The half demon turned to his friend and crossed his arms. "Look, Kurama, I don't want to argue about this anymore," he said, annoyed. "I know he was responcible and you know it too. If you have some doubts we'll question him further just to keep you from nagging me."

Kurama said nothing. He wasn't in the mood to argue but he had a feeling his best friend might know more to the story than he let on. It would be a good idea to question him again and find out all he knew.

* * *

Hiei sat in a tree near the hospital and watched everyone go in and out. He'd come to visit Botan before he went off looking for the one who had framed him but he couldn't visit her while Yusuke and Kurama were in the room. He didn't need any trouble. So he had to wait. He had to wait for them to leave before he went to see her. 

He didn't have to wait long. After a few minutes he saw Yusuke and Kurama leave the building and walk toward Kurama's car. He waited for them to get in and drive away before he looked toward the room Botan was in and disappeared in a flash of black.

* * *

Hiei climbed into Botan's hospital room through the window and his shadow cast over her bed as he stares at her form. Just the sight of her beaten and bloody body made his blood boil and he vowed to find the real one responcible. _I will find who did this and make them pay! _He walked up to the bed and gently put his hand on her cheek. Since she was asleep she didn't feel it and didn't stir. 

"Don't worry," he said to her. "They will regret ever doing this to you. I promise." he leaned his face down and kissed her. After a moment he turned away and, after leaving his tear gem necklase on the table beside her bed, he headed back to the window and vanished over the side.

_A/N_

_If Hiei is being OOC I am very sorry. Maybe I should start watching the anime again to refresh my memory. _

_I should not watch Disney movies when I write these fics. It makes my mind all weird and romancy even when romance isn't suppost to be there yet! Not that tha's a bad thing it's just at the wrong time. lol. _


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Hiei knew he'd have to go back to Botan's apartment before he could begin his search for the real person that has hurt her even though he would rather not. He didn't want to risk running into Yusuke and Kurama. Who knew what they would do when they found him gone. If they see him come back Yusuke would demand to know where he was and beat him up, not that Hiei wouldn't fight back of course. _Maybe they won't be there, _he thought jumping from rooftop to rooftop. _Either way, I still need to go back. I don't want to but I have to. I have to look at that mess one last time. Maybe it'll tell me something. _He saw the balconey to Botan's apartment just ahead and made one more sprint jump. This time he landed on the balconey and he crouched down when he heard voices.

"Yusuke," he heard Kurama's voice from inside. "I think we should have waited for Botan to wake up before we left."

"Why?" Hiei heard Yusuke demand.

"Because then we could have asked me what happened."

"We know what happened, Kurama." the half demon shot back. "Hiei came here last night and in one of his fits he beat the tar out of Botan and tore apart her apartment."

"Hiei does not have 'fits' he fights people with good reason!"

"So you're thinking he had a _reason_ to beat up Botan?"

"I never said that!" Kurama shouted. "Hiei wouldn't hurt Botan. I haven't seen him hurt a single girl. He's had plety of chances to kill or hurt them but he doesn't."

"Kurama," Yusuke said in a deathly calm voice. "You're not with him all the time. You don't know what he does to women behind our backs."

"Yusuke!"

"What? You know I'm right!"

"No I do not! I'd expect _Kuwabara_ to make such assumptions but not you! You know him better than that!"

"I thought I did. But I guess I was wrong."

"Yusuke..."

"Let's just get this over with, okay?"

"Fine."

Hiei heard Botan's bedroom door creak open then a long silence. For a moment he thought they hadn't gone into the room at all and just as he was about to go in he heard Yusuke shouted. "What the hell?! How did this happen?" he heard loud footsteps and the sound of something breaking. "How did he get away?! Where is he?!"

"Hiei was never one to stay caught for too long," Kurama said calmly. "Did you really think he wouldn't get away if we left him here by himself?"

"Yes, no... I don't know. I was hoping he wouldn't."

"Well looks like he did."

Hiei couldn't help smirking. _I'm smarter than you think, fool. _he thought, peeking into the bedroom through the window. He saw Yusuke looking under the bed while Kurama stood by and watched.

"You're not going to find him under there," Kurama told him. "If anything he would have left by now and you'll never find him."

"He can't have gone far," Yusuke said, straightening up. "But where would he go if he got away and left here?"

"I don't know," Kurama replied. "He could have gone _anywhere_."

Yusuke stood there for a moment, his hand on his chin, thinking carefully. Finally he looked at the fox and said. "I know."

"You do?" the fox blinked. "Where would he go from here?"

"He'd go to the hospital!" Yusuke exclaimed.

"The hospital? Why would he go there?"

"To finish what he left undone," Yusuke replied, grabbing Kurama's arm and dragging him out of the room. "C'mon. We have to get back there before he can get to Botan!"

Hiei heard the door slam a moment later. He sat still and waited a few minutes then went inside. He looked around himself a moment, trying to spot something he might not have noticed before, something that was out of place and shouldn't be there. That's when he decided to go into the one place he hadn't looked in when he'd first arrived. The bathroom. Maybe something in there would tell him what really happened.

As soon as Hiei entered the bathroom he discovered that, like the rest of Botan's apartment, this room was also full of her personal touch. The walls were light blue and the scent of lavender filled the air. Botna had placed candles everywhere as well as put a small pink throw rug on the floor. Hiei noticed this was the only room in the apartment that Botan's attacker hadn't trashed, since if they had, the candles would be scattered everywhere instead of sitting in their respective places. Still, he'd have to search here too. Right away the small garbage can by the sink caught his attention. He walked over to it, knelt down, and put his hand in it, hoping it wouldn't accidently grasp something unpleasant. Right away his fingers grasped something long and roundish. He froze hoping it wasn't what he thought it might be. He quickly pulled his hand out, noting he'd taken the thing with it.

He lifted the object to his face and stared at it a moment, not exactly sure what it was. When he noticed little symbol like things in one of the tiny screens he tensed and dropped the object onto the floor, finally realizing what it was. _Oh my god! What the hell? What was she doing? _he stared at the object like it was a parasite then slowly lifted it again, hoping what he'd seen was wrong. He looked at the symbols again and realized he hadn't seen wrong. They were still there, crystal clear. He dropped the object again and sat there a moment, resting his head against the finger tips of his bandaged hand. _Great. Just great... _

* * *

When Kurama and Yusuke arrived back at the hospital they immediately ran to Botan's room, both dredding what they might find. They burst though the door and were relieved to see that Botan was still sleeping and just fine. Yusuke sighed in relief and sat down in a chair by the bed. "He hasn't been here. Good."

Kurama noticed something that said otherwise. A blue gemmed necklase lay on the table by the bed. It hadn't been there when they had first been in the room. The fox walked over to it and picked it up. "Yusuke," he said, turning to his friend. "You're wrong about that." he held up the gem. "Look at this."

Yusuke got up to get a better look. When he saw the tear gem he froze, not sure how to react. "So he _was_ here," he finally said.

Kurama nodded and looked at the peacefully sleeping Botan. "And it seems he didn't touch her at all," he said, pointedly.

Yuske said nothing. He wasn't sure how to react to that either. If Hiei had attacked Botan then went to the hospital to see her later wouldn't he have tried to kill her again? "Maybe he was feeling guilty," the half demon suggested.

Kurama gave him a Who-D-You-Think-You're-Kidding look. "Yusuke, you've said plenty of dumb things in your life but this is by far the stupidest," he said, calmly.

Yusuke stared at the fox. Kurama never talked like that. "Whoa!" he said. "Where did _that _come from?"

"Nowhere," Kurama said. "But you seem bent on blaming Hiei for what happened."

"Hey, you didn't beleive him either!" Yuske pointed out.

"But now I think I should," the fox retorted. "I'm getting kinda sick of you not being objective."

"_I'm_ not being objective?" Yusuke demanded. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"You keep insisting there is another answer, that something else must be responcible. If I didn't know better I'd think you were in love with him or something."

"I'm not in love with Hiei!" Kurama shot back. "He just happens to be my best friend! I'm going to defend him if I want!"

"You sure didn't do a very good job at that when you shoved his face into the wall at Botan's apartment," Yusike pointed out.

"I thought I saw something," Kurama argued. "For a moment I thought he might have done it."

"See. You're no better than me!"

"That is not true!"

"Quiet! Do you want to wake Botan?"

"Maybe I _should_ wake her," Kurama challenged. "Then she can tell you how wrong you are."

"I'm not wrong and she'll confirm it."

"I hope you _are_ wrong."

Yusuke folded his arms and glared at Kurama. He couldn't believe how foolish the fox demon was acting. Didn't he know his own friend's chaotic trademark? Only someone of Hiei's size and capacity would be able to do something like that. _I intent to prove it. Maybe Kuwabara was right about him after all... but... something doesn't feel right about this._

* * *

Hiei realized he wasn't getting anything done sitting on the bathroom floor staring at the pregnancy test and finally threw the stick back into the trash and stood up. It was obvious he wouldn't find anything else in there and would have to search the rest of the house. As he headed back into the bedroom his new discovery beat at his mind and he was unable to get it out of his thoughts. He wasn't sure how to take the news. Or what he was going to do about it. _There's nothing I can do about it right now. _he thought, looking around her torn up bedroom. _But I'll let her decide what she's going to do with it. _

Just then he spotted something on the floor he hadn't noticed before, it looked like a piece of cloth. He reached down and picked it up, brining it close to his face for examination. Yes, it was a piece of cloth but for some strange reason it didn't feel like material. It felt like some kind of plant made into material. _What the hell? Someone uses plants for clothing? _He thought about that a moment. He knew of only one person who used plants for _anything_ but Kurama was taller than him and didn't wear flora, he just grew it. _Kurama wouldn't attack Botan anyway. He's a gentleman. _

But this explained something to Hiei. Whoever had hurt Botan used plants. They were probably like Kurama or their element was plants. _Plant demon? _Either way; when he found this person they were going to wish they had never been born. The fire demon crumpled the cloth up in his hand and ran toward the balcony. He reached it and jumped over the side. _I'll make them pay!_

_A/N_

_Bwahahahaha! Yay. I finally finished this part. I'm working on it. You can probably guess what it was Hiei found and if you ask me... I'm gonna think you're weird. lol. I'm kidding. I hope this was okay. I'm sorry for any OOCness. _


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Botan woke to find herself in a strange environment. She looked around herself and discovered she was in the hospital. _Huh? _she thought sitting up. _How did I get here? What happened? _She looked down at her bruised hands and it all came back to her...

:Flashback:

Hiei had left her apartment ten minutes ago when she'd gone into the bathroom feeling sick. She'd been feeling that way a lot for the past few days and she had a feeling she knew why. She didn't want to believe it but she had to make sure that wasn't the case. She took a pregnancy test and was shocked at what she saw. _No. Not now. I can't believe this. _

Positive.

She left the bathroom, not sure what she was going to do or even sure if she should tell Hiei when she'd noticed a shadow on her balcony. She looked toward it and saw a dark silhouette just outside the sliding glass doors. From what she could make it it looked like Hiei.

"Hiei?" she said. "What are you doing back here so early? I thought you were training."

The shadow said nothing. It let out a low growl

The ferry girl stared at him. Was he angry? Had he found out what she just had? Had he been watching her?

"Hiei?" she said again, not sure what else to say as a rising fear enveloped her heart.

Suddenly the demon shattered the glass and lunged at her.

:End Flashback:

_Hiei? How could he do this? Why would he do this? Was he trying to kill the...?_ she shook her head. "No, he wouldn't never do that."

She looked up and noticed the tear gem necklace on the ngith stand. She leaned over and picked it up to get a better look at it. _This is Hiei's_, she thought, staring at the blue gem. _That means he was here, but if he was... why didn't he attack me again? _she looked toward the window. _Does this mean he isn't responsible at all?_

* * *

Hiei soon found out he had a slight problem. Even thought he thought he figured out what had really attacked Botan he didn't know where to find the person. Using his Jagan didn't help him much because he didn't know what the person looked like. His best guess was to search an area with a lot of plants like a forest. Demons who could control nature seemed to like being where the plants were. _Then I guess I have no choice. _he was going to have to leave the city to find wo he was looking for. Soagainst his better judgement he headed for the forest.

* * *

"I don't care what his reasons might have been," Yusuke said as he and Kurama headed back to Botan's room after getting some food in the hospital vending machines. "He was the only on there."

"Yet he had no blood on hm," Kurama pointed out. "How would he have been able to beat up on Botan like he did and cut her and not get any of her blood on him?"

"I don't know," Yusuke said, shrugging. "Maybe he took a shower."

"C'mon now," Kurama said, giving his friend a look. "Do you think he's one of those psychotics now?"

"He's always been a little psychotic anyway."

"A little but not enough to abuse a girl then take a shower while she's lying bloody in the next room."

"All right. I'll give you that but what makes you think he didn't do it?"

Kurama was getting sick of this conversation. "I just got a feeling," he said.

"Hmmmm.." Yusuke said, thoughtfully. "Well let's see if Botan's up yet. Maybe she can tell us something."

* * *

Hiei jumped from tree to tree in the forest a few miles from the outskirts of the city. The moment he'd entered the area he'd felt some sort of presence close by. The feeling it gave him told him it might be who he was looking for. His only problem was he would have to find this person. and that might take awhile, not that that was a problem. It gave him time to think of how he would kill him. _You were a fool to think you would get away with hurting the onna and having them blame me for it_, he thought, landing on a tree branch and crouching down to rest a moment. _That was a mistake. A mistake you'll wish you never made._

* * *

Kurama and Yusuke were both relieved when they saw Botan awake and sitting up in her bed. Yusuke offered her some of the food the two guys had brought but she refused, saying she wasn't hungry. Kurama noticed a troubled look on her face but chose not to ask her what it meant.

"So how are you feeling, Botan?" Yusuke asked, sitting down beside the ferry girl's bed.

"Okay, I guess," she said, her fingers playing with a necklace chain she was holding. "The nurse said I was fine but..."

"But what?" Yusuke asked, taking her hand.

She looked up at him. "Where is Hiei?" she asked.

"Why?" he demanded.

She ignored the angry tone in his voice. "I just want to know," she said. "I have to tell him something."

"What?" Kurama asked, walking over to the bed.

She looked away, a blush coming to her face. "It's kinda' private."

"Private?" Yusuek gasped. "What could you possibly have to tell him that's private?"

She took her hand out of his and turned away. "It's none of your business," she said defensively. "If you find Hiei tell him I need to talk to him."

Yusuke wanted to push it more but Kurama could tell Botan wasn't going to crack. Whatever it was she wasn't about to let the others know. Not now anyway. "Okay, Botan," the fox demon said. "When we find him we'll tell him."

_A/N_

_I AM SO SORRY! I tried my best. Really I did but I'm tired and have writer's block. Forgive me!_


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

Yusuke and Kurama decided to let Botan get her rest and left the room, even as they went the ferry girl could hear them arguing about whether Hiei as innocent or not. She wasn't sure if he was or not but she had a feeling it hadn't been him at all. Maybe she'd only thought it was him because of the size of the demon. It had been short too and she hadn't really seen what it looked like, it had been too dark in her apartment.

She sat up, turned, and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She looked out the window thoughtfully. _It wasn't him,_ she thought, her hands again playing with the necklace._ It wasn't him. He wouldn't do something like this. He's matured since then. He wouldn't do this. Not to me. He loves me. _She felt a pain and put her hands over her stomach. _Baby... _she shook her head as she got out of bed and headed toward the bathroom. _He loves me but will... will he care about the baby... if he finds out?_

* * *

Hiei could sense his target was somewhere down in those trees below him as he sat on one of the branches figuring out his next move. He was close, he knew that much, but he wasn't sure how close or how powerful this demon might be. The mess it had made in Botan's house didn't tell him much since she wasn't strong enough to do much damage if she fought back so he had to guess it's strength. It was able to control plants he knew but what else could it control? The air? The ground? Water? _There's only one way to find out_, he thought, standing up, and looking into the trees. _And that's to find him and challenge him!_ he jumped down into the forest.

* * *

"I have had about enough of this conversation!" Kurama shouted, his long fuse finally reaching its end. "If all you're going to do is keep talking about what happened and keep blaming Hiei, though you don't really have any proof you did it, I'm leaving and you can get someone else to take you home!"

Yusuke stared at the fox demon, open mouthed. He had definatly over stepped his friends patience limit. "Whoa!" he said, putting up his hands. "Sorry I-"

Kurama wasn't finished yet. "I'm tired of this, Yusuke," he said, folding his arms as his car keys jangled in his hand. He was ready to leave any time, with or without Yusuke. "We haven't even given Hiei the benefit of a doubt. We should have listened to what he was trying to say instead of jumping to conclusions like we did. Now he's gone and probably out looking for the _real _person responsible." Kurama pointed a finger in Yusuke's face. "We don't know how powerful that demon could be and neither does he. If something happens to him or he dies I'm going to blame you for it!"

"Kurama," Yusuke began. "We don't-"

But the fox was no longer listening. He was heading toward the exit, ready to go home or go looking for his friend. He had a bad feeling all of a sudden, as if something horrible was about to happen. _Hiei,_ he thought. _Whatever you're doing be careful._

* * *

Hiei found a slightly overgrown trail that looked like someone had gone through it recently and decided to walk down it, determined to find out something. It might lead to who he was looking for it might not. He wasn't sure. He took a few steps down the path then froze in his tracks and listened. He thought he heard a slithering sound but now he didn't hear anything. _It was probably just a snake anyway,_ he thought then proceeded.

A few minutes later he again heard that strange slithering sound and stopped. This time it sounded closer, like it was right near his feet. He glanced at his shoes. Nothing.

"Hmmm..." he started walking again.

Suddenly an explosive sound rose up behind him and he turned to see what it was. He saw a giant Venus fly trap sprout behind him. He stared up at the plant, surprised then went into action as the thing came at him, it's huge plant mouth extended to its limit. He dodged the cannibal plant and pulled out his sword. When it came at him again he swung his blade and cut the stem. The plant screeched loudly then the head fell to the ground. Hiei sheathed his sword and stared at the giant plant. So he was going to right way after all but, was this plant a guard or a warning to what was about to come. He smiled cockly. What did he have to worry about? He was fire. If he got attacked by a bunch of plants all he needed to do was burn them up. He turned from the plant and continued down the path, now knowing where he had to go.

Little did he know was that the plant was slowly regenerating itself.

Another plant close by opened up and a red flower monitored his movements. _So, _the person behind the eye thought. _You've come for me after all._

* * *

Botan stepped out of the bathroom, feeling no better. She still felt a tightness in her chest and a pain in her stomach that probably had nothing to do with what was growing in there. She just hoped this pain didn't mean there was something wrong with it. She didn't want to lose the one thing that kept her from totally blaming Hiei for what happened. _But what would he have done if he **had **known? _she wondered. _How would he have reacted to this?_

Because she was in the hospital she didn't know that he'd already found out, even if it was by accident. She sat down on the bed and put her head in her hands. _Hiei..._ she thought. _What is happening? Where are you?_

Not knowing what was going on was too much for her to take. Nobody ever told her anything when it came to what Hiei did so she realized she would have to find out what was happening on her own. This thought prompted her to make the first of many mistakes. She took the IV out of her hand and stood up. She walked toward the open window and looked out at the sunset. She hesitated a moment then put out her hand, calling forth her oar. She quickly climbed on and flew out of the hospital window, her blue hair and hospital gown blowing in the wind as she flew over the city.

_A/N_

_I just realized I have a strange form of writing. Though it seems in order something isn't. I never really write stories in the chronological order anyway. I dunno. It just seems as if the events are a little out of order. What do you think? Does my style seem strange to you too?_


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

Hiei followed the path deeper into the forest, barely aware that it was starting to get dark. He felt the presense getting stronger the longer he walked and didn't bother to let the darkening sky bother him. What he didn't know was that the demon he was after was watching him. It knew he was coming and what he was planning. It was ready for him. He finally stopped to rest a moment. As he leaned against a tree he noticed the twilight sky and realized he'd been walking for hours without stopping once. No wonder he was feeling tired. You never really know what you're doing when you're angry.

_I wonder how much farther I have to go? _he thought, turning his attention away from the sky and looking back at the path. _I've been walking for hours and I don't seem to be getting any closer. Could my target be moving? _

He'd never thought of that before. If the demon he was after was moving it would take him forever to find it. Or maybe not. He could use his jagan but he had no idea what exactly he was looking for. For all he knew the demon was made of vines.

_This is stupid, _he thought, pushing himself away from the tree. _This whole thing is stupid. Why did that demon attack her anyway? Was it trying to get to me or was it trying to get to her? This is so stupid. _He shook his head. "I'll have to ask him when I find him," he said to himself. "Before I kill him!"

* * *

Kurama drove his car back to Botan's apartment. Something had been bothering him about the chaos he and Yusuke had found and he decided to get a better look at it. He parked his car in the parking lot outside the building and headed inside. He rode the elevator to the 8th floor and stepped into the hall, headed to Botan's room and went inside. As soon as he opened the door he immediately noticed something he hadn't seen before. A strange sort of dust littered the floor. He wasn't sure if it had been there the first time and had settled there after but he knew it shouldn't have been there either way. _What is this?_

He knelt down and scooped some up into his hand. The weird powdery substance blew everywhere as he raised his hand for a better look. When he did so he breathed it in and started sneezing. "ACHOOO!" He grabbed a tissue out of the shrdded tissue box on the floor and blew his nose. _That's not dust! That's pollen! _the fox demon fox. _Wait! Pollen? On the floor? This can't be from Botan's plants. None of them have flowers. _He looked down at the pollen again. _Where did this come from?_

He got up and walked around the apartment some more, noticing the pollen was in everyroom, covering everything in a thin white film. Finally he found himself in the bathroom, the only room in the apartment that hadn't been struck by Botan's attacker. He took in the untouched look of the room, smelled the lavender and noticed not a single bit of pollen had gotten inside, even though the door had been standing wide open. _That's strange. Why would the demon attack tear up the other rooms but leave this one alone? _He looked around the room and stepped farther inside, deciding to investigate in there too. It wasn't long before he turned his attention on the waste basket by the sink. He rummaged through it and found the pregnancy test. He stared at the little symbols a moment then dropped the thing on the floor, realizing what it ment.

_Botan's pregnant?! _he thought, staring at the thing on the floor. _What? How? Who?_ He wasn't sure but he had a guess. _Hiei? _

* * *

Yusuke went back to Botan's room to check on her and maybe ask her a few questions but he could do neither when he stpped inside and found the bed empty. "WHAT THE HELL?" he exclaimed. "NURSE!" 

A nurse came running. "Yes?" she asked. "What's wrong?"

He pointed at the bed. "Botan's not in her bed," he said. "Did you move her?"

The nurse looked at the clip board she was holding and shook her head. 'No," she answered. "Nobody's been in there since they brought her in."

"Then where is she?" he shouted in the woman's face.

The nurse gave him a nervous look, clearly intimidated by Yusuke's loud voice. "I... I don't know," she stammered, looking like she was going to cry. "Maybe you should ask a pediatrition." then she scurried off.

Yusuke watched her go, a totally clueless look on his face. "Why the hell would I want to ask a pediatrition?" he asked nobody. He stood there panting a moment then charged dowjn the hall, not sure where he was going or what he was going to do.

* * *

Botan flew over the forest intent on finding Hiei. She'd already been to her apartment and other places the demon could have been but hadn't found him anywhere. Her last guess was that he'd left the city for some reason. She was determined to find him. She needed to talk to him about the baby. She needed to tell him. 

_Hiei, where are you? _

Suddenly something shot out of the trees and hit Botan's oar. As she tried to regain her balance something else hit the oar and she was flung off. Screaming, she plummeted into the trees.

* * *

Hiei arrived at the mouth of a giant cave a half hour later. He stared up at the big yawning mouth sensing a strong demonic presense from inside. _It's in there, _he thought, slowly unsheathing his sword. _I just know it. _He started in. _But why is it hiding in a cave? _(Because the Author has a bad habit of using the cliched villian hideout in the middle of nowhere too much) 

He hadn't gotten very far when a shadow was cast over him. He froze and stood still for a moment, not sure what might be behind him. His grip tightened on his sword and he swung around, ready for a fight. Just as he did so a vine wrapped around his ankle and lifted him off the ground. Taken by surprise he dropped his sword and hung upsidedown for a moment before he kicked at the vine and tore it in half with his foot. He fell to the ground and scrambled to grab his sword. Just as he reached to grab it the vine lashed out and hit him in the rib cage. He flew through the air and slammed against the side wall. Grunting in pain he fell to the ground and slouched there a moment, trying to regain his senses. He was hit again and his spine cracked painfully against the wall. Flailing, he reached out and grabbed the vine with both hands.

The plant pulled back in protest and carried him across the room and out into the forest where he lay sprawled on the ground, trying to catch his breath. He heard a strange shrieking sound and looked up. The plant loomed over him, it's vines wavering crazily. Hiei pushed himself to his hands and knees and glared up at the giant house plant.

Suddenly one of the vines lashed out at him again. He saw it coming and jumped out of the way. The vine slammed into the ground where he'd been, breaking a giant rock in the process. The demon stared a moment, realizing that could have been him then moved when he saw the plant getting ready to hit him again.

Hiei growled in anger and dodged each blow, getting closer and closer to the cave where his sword waited. One final swing gave him a chance to dive into the cave and grab his sword. Now he could fight back. He turned and faced the plant, sword at ready and saw it hesitate a moment.

"What's wrong?" he asked, feeling cocky. "Are you afraid of sharp objects?" the plant still hesitated. "Well you should be!" he shouted, running at it.

He swung his blade and cut off three of the plant's flailing vines. it made that screeching sound again and backed away from him further. He chased after it, hacking more vines off. The plant retreated as far as the edge of the clearing then was hacked to pieces.

When the plant was no more than mulch Hiei stood over it a moment, panting, a hand over his ribs. Even though he'd beat it it had still hurt him pretty badly. He ground his teeth, glaring hatefully at the dead plant. _Dann it!_

The wind picked up, blowing his hair slightly as he sheahed his sword and turned from the plant. With a little more caution he limped into the cave.

_A/N_

_Now Kurama knows too. I might make Yusuke find out as well but not as easily. _

_Wahaha. A fight scene. Well the best I could think of for a fight scene anyway. Lol. I'm trying my best. Honest. Am I going too fast for you all? I hope not. Sorry._

_Never ask me to update soon if you're not planning on leaving feedback when I do. _


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

Kurama left Botan's apartment and headed back to his car. He ran across the parking lot and hopped in, shoving the key into the ignition and starting it up. When the car started running he pulled out of the parking lot and raced down the street, his wheels screaming loudly. This new bit of information wasn't helping the situation any. _So Botan is pregnant, _the fox demon thought. _Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse. Now a baby has been added into the mix. I wonder if Hiei knew. I don't think he would have attacked her for that. He might threaten her. He might try to convince her to have an abortion but... Wait a minute. If Botan is pregnant and Hiei is the father could that mean..._

His thoughts were interrupted by his cell phone going off. He grabbed up the phone and pressed the "talk" button. "Hello?" he said.

"Kurama?" it was Yusuke.

"What?" the fox asked.

"Um... I'm calling to tell you that Botan is gone," Yusuke said.

"Huh?" Kurama hit his brakes and brought the car to a stop in the middle of the road. "What do you mean gone?"

"Just as I said," Yurameshi replied. "She's gone. She's not in her room."

"Maybe they moved her?" the fox suggested.

"No," Yusuke said. 'I asked. She wasn't moved. If she was no one here knew about it."

_Oh boy. _Anothing thing Kurama didn't need to worry about. _She probably left. She's probably looking for Hiei..._

"Kurama?" Yusuke said. "Are you still there?"

"Yes," Kurama said, "I'm still here but-."

A car behind him honked their horn loudly. He looked behind him and the driver flipped him off. "Yusuke," the fox demon began. "I gotta go. I'll call you back okay?"

"But-"

"Good bye," Kurama hung up the phone. He looked back at the person who honked their horn again. "All right!" he called. 'I'm going! I'm going!" then he pealed out as if the devil was chasing him. _Now Botan is gone. Things are just getting worse and worse all the time..._

* * *

Yusuek glared at him phone, indignant. Kurama had hung up on him. He couldn't believe it. "What in hell is going on?" he shouted wipping his phone across the room. "Where is everyone going and why am I not being told any of it?!"

"Shhh!" a nurse commanded sternly, glaring at him from the desk.

He glared at the nurse but did quiet down. He flopped onto a chair and sighed. "Maybe I deserve it," he told himself, leaning forward and letting his arms rest on his legs. "I can't blame them. I am acting kinda dumb." He looked out the window. "That still doesn't give them the right to keep things from me!"

"Sir," the nurse called from the desk. "If you don't quite down I'm going to have to have you removed from this hospital, understand?"

"Y-yes," Yusuke said, blushing with embarrassment. "I'm sorry."

* * *

Hiei didn't run into anymore plants in the cave but that was of little comfort. For all he knew that could mean the person knew he was there and was making things easy for him so he'd get cocky and not be ready if he ran into Botan's real attacker. _I'm going to have to stay on my guard._

The cave was illuminated by moss growing on the walls, tinting everything a greenish color, even Hiei's face. Even with this little bit of light it was hard to see anything infront of him. Because of that he didn't see the deep hole infront of him and stepped right in. He gasped in surprise as he felt the ground benieth him give way and the sensation of falling after. He fell for about fifteen seconds then landed lightly at the bottom. There was more light down here and and he looked up and saw the hole he'd fallen through. It didn't look like he'd be able to get out that way.

"Hn." he turned his attention away from the hole and looked around himself. Here, because of the better light that seemed to be coming from somewhere ahead of him, he saw what looked like a shelf full of dead plants. He stepped toward it for a closer look and indeed found that they were dead plants. Dead plants that didn't look like they belonged in the world of the living. _Makai plants?_

He reached out a hand to touch one but a scream suddenly split the air. He looked away from the plants and listened hard. Another scream followed the first and he froze for a moment. This scream didn't sound like it was coming from a plant. It sounded human.

_What the hell?_

_Aren't you going to go find the person responsible for it? _a voice in his head asked.

_What? Who are you?_

_That's not important, _the voice answered. _What's important is find out who screaned._

Hiei smirked at that. _Sentiment isn't the same for me, _he told the voice. _I can just ignore those cries and I won't feel guilty._

_That's the old Hiei. I thought you had changed. _

That gave him pause. He thought he had changed too but sometimes his old nature would rise up again. He was still himself but not as cold hearted as he used to be. Sentiment wasn't beyond him anymore. If it had been maybe he wouldn't have bothered saving Yukina. Or if he had he might have killed her. Things change, the same for him.

Hiei shook his head. He realized he couldn't just ignore those cries. For all he knew it could be who he was looking for or another victom to one of those deadly man eating Venus flytraps. He unsheathed his sword and ran down the dark passage toward the light and the scream.

* * *

Kurama angrily hit the hood of his car. He hadn't gotten very far out of the city when his car had broken down. He'd gotten out to see what the problem was then realized he was out of gas. He hit the car again and then leaned against it, folding his arms and looking around himself at the forest. Just what he didn't need. Being out of gas, and stranded on a hardly ever used road. He sighed and popped the trunk. Maybe he had a gas can in there under the spare tires and the mosquito plant...

* * *

Hiei stepped out of the passage and found himself in what looked like a giant green house. Plants were everywhere. _What the hell?!  
_He stared at all the plants a moment, not exactly sure what to make of this. _How is this even possible? Plants cannot grow in caves except for moss. Not even Makia plants are able to do that..._

He walked down the row of plants, taking in the strange flora. He saw not only Makai plants growing here but living world and maybe even spirit world plants too. It didn't seem to make sense but then again... he was looking for a demon that could conrol plants so maybe there was an explaination. Even though he saw many types of plants, he didn't see anything that could be responsible for the screams he had heard earlier. Maybe it had just been his imagination, he decided.

He turned to go but suddenly he was being lifted into the air. Gasping he saw a vine wrapped around his foot. This time he had his sword so he quickly cut the vine and landed crouch on the ground. He looked up to see three giant plants, similar to the ones he'd run into before looming over him, waving their vine arms around, their Venus flytrap mouths wide open and drooling. He glared at the plants and dodged their wippy arms when they swung at him.

He jumped into the air and clove one of the giant, drooly plants in two when he came down on it. The two halves split on both sides when he landed. The two other nutcase plants were not intimidated because they had re-enforcments. Suddenly other plants in the room seemed to get a mind of their own. He was forced to dodged a whole legion of thorns a demonic rose bush shot at him, blood red poison dripping off the tips.

_This is ridiculous! _he thought, his sword cutting up a whole row of demonic plants. This was one thing he hardly had any experience with. Plant enemys. The only time he'd really fought anything plant related (That I can remember) was when he first met and fought Kurama.

One of the vines caught him by the ankle and threw him across the room. He smashed into a bench holding some weird potted flowers. Clay pots crashed loudly as his body made contact with them and broke everything under him. As he got up one of the flowers bloomed and spit a spiky dart into his neck. He flinched and quickly pulled out the dart, but it was already to late. He started feeling light headed and everything around him seemed to be moving in slow motion. Another vine grabbed him and threw him across the room. He landed flat on his back and tried to scramble to his feet. He got as far as his hands and knees and couldn't go any farther. He stayed like that, panting heavily as colors and shapes seemed to mesh together. To him it looked like the plants were retreating back to their repective positions.

Nothing else attacked him but it didn't matter. Even if they had he couldn't have fought back. He flopped on his side, unable to even kneel any longer. The last thing he saw before he lost consiousness was a pale and green thing walking toward him.

_A/N_

_I like how this chapter came out. Heh heh. When I was creating the psychotic Venus flytraps I was thinking of the plants that were in Final Fantasy 8. I know, not very original. Well now things are picking up a little. :D I just hope Kurama figures everything out and gets his car started. In the next chapter you'll get to meet the villian. Guess that's it for now. _

_Side note: Please remember to leave me some feedback. I was nice enough to write two chapters this week so please be nice enough to leave a review. Thank you in advance and thank you for the feedback so far. It keeps me going. :D_


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Kurama still couldn't get his car started so he decided to just give up on it for the time being, he could just call a tow truck anyway. But he'd worry about that later. Right now he had other things on his mind. He'd spotted something in the trees that didn't look like it belonged there and decided to get a better look at it. He got out of the car and called Yusuke as he walked toward the strange object.

Yusuke answered on the first ring. "Kurama is that you?" he said. "It had better be. Where are you? What are you doing? Get back here and tell me what's going on."

"Yusuke," Kurama said, making his way through the trees. "I can't get back there."

"Why not?"

"My car's out of gas," the fox replied. "If you need a ride home why don't you call Keiko? I'm sure she'd be happy to take you home."

"I don't wanna call Keiko," he said. "I don't need a ride home anyway. I just want to know where you are."

"In the woods outside of town."

"What are you doing out there?"

"Looking for Hiei and Botan."

Yusuek cursed and Kurama heard someone yell at him in the background. "I know, I'm sorry!" he heard the half demon shouted at someone. "I won't do it again." A pause. "Take it outside?... All right! ...No you don't have to call security, I'm going." Kurama heard footsteps. "Sorry, Kurama. The nurse here told me to take the call outside because I was being too loud."

"It sounded like you were."

"Well yeah I was but she didn't need to yell at me."

"I think she did."

"Nevermind that. Why are you looking for them anyway? I'm sure they'll come back when they want to."

"Well, I'm worried and I think something bad is going to happen to them," Kurama replied. He stopped in front of the thing he'd seen. "Yuasuke. I'm going to have to call you back."

"What? Hey-"

Kurama hung up the phone and stared at the thing. Botan's boat oar. _Oh my god..._

* * *

Hiei's head felt like it had been run over as he began to waken. It hurt like hell and he was sure it was a migrane. He felt something tickling his cheek but he couldn't move to brush whatever it was away, he moaned and tried to move his arm. It seemed to be saying "Over my dead body!" and refused to go anywhere. For a moment he thought it was paralized but when he closed his fist he realized it wasn't, it just refused to go anywhere. He soon discovered none of his limps were obeying him. They all seemed to want to stay where they were.

Confused, he forced his eyes open and looked around. _Oh, so that's why they won't move. _He seemed to be tangled in a spider web made of vines. He ground his teeth and tugged on the vines. They stayed in place and all he had to show for all his tugging were bruised arms. Now he was angry. A low growl rose in his throat and he lurched his body forward, as if expecting that to free him. All that did was nearly tear his arms out of their sockets. Finally he gave up on that and rested a moment, panting.

"You'll never get free that way," a voice to his left said.

Startled, Hiei lifed his head and looked in that direction. He spotted a smallish figure, maybe his size, in the shadows. He couldn't tell if it was male or female. "Who are you?" he demanded.

Whoever it was snickered, the voice sounding femanine. "I..." it said, stepping into the light. "Am Milicent." Now Hiei could make out the person. It was a female demon with long blond hair, deep green eyes, and pale skin. She wore a short green sleeveless dress (like Poison Ivy's I guess) and no shoes. "I am a demon who controls nature." She walked over to him and grabbed his face in her right hand. "And _you_ are going to die."

**

* * *

**

Kurama called Yusuke back.

"Why in hell did you hang up on me like that?" the other teenager demanded.

"I..." Kurama began.

"That was rude! How would you like it if I hung up on you?"

"Yusuke-"

"The least you could do is say you're sorry."

"Sorry, I-"

"That's better. Now what do you want?"

"I foudn something."

"Huh?"

"I found something in the woods."

"You did? What?"

"Botan's oar."

"Her oar?!" Yusuke seemed clueless. "If there's something you need to tell me about her and you, you'd better-"

"YUSUKE!"

"What?"

"Would you please shut up? I'm trying to tell you that if her oar is here and she isn't, something bad might have happened to her."

"Like what?"

"I don't know," Kurama said, looking around himself. "But I'm going to find out."

* * *

Hiei wasn't sure what to say to this strange female demon. He just knew that if this girl was planning on killing him herself she wouldn't do very well. He could easily over power her, unless she used her plant army to help her like she was doing now then his chances wouldn't be so high. What bugged him was why she wanted to kill him in the first place. Could she possibly be one of those hermits that didn't like people coming into their houses uninvited?

The nature demon girl seemed to read his mind. "You want to know why I'm going to kill you, don't you?" she asked.

It was a stupid question, at least the way she'd worded it, but yes he did want to know. "That would be nice," he said sarcasticly.

Milicent frowned and let him go, turning from him as she started talking. 'The answer is simply," she said, as if he should know it himself. "You killed him."

_Huh? Him? Who's him? _"Killed who?" he asked.

"Him," she replied, turning to him with anger in her eyes. "You killed him!You killed him. You killed our child!"

"Whos' child?"

"My child!" she shouted, waving her hands. "The child I had. Our child! You killed him!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, wench!" he shouted at her. "I don't kill children!"

She folded her arms and glared at him. "You killed mine," she said, glaring at him hatefully. "You killed him and I'm going to kill yours."

_Yours? What? I don't _have_ any children. _"What are you talking about?" he demanded.

She smiled at him. "Your mate is pregnant, is she not?" she asked.

He almost shook his head then remembered the pregancy test he'd found. He looked away from her, not about to tell her anything. His silence said enough anyway. "She is," the woman said. "She's a few weeks along but she's still pregnant."

"It's not a child yet," he told her.

"Oh you don't think so?" she asked. "That you are wrong about. It might be cells but it's still a baby. If it were aborted the mother would feel guilty even if she tried to deny it wasn't a living thing yet."

"How would you know?" he asked.

"I've done that already," she replied, walking over to a pirana plant and petting it as she went on in a far away voice. "The first time I got pregnant I was raped. I had the child aborted and..." her voice tailed off. "Nevermind that. My second child, was killed when he was barely able to walk." she turned back to him. "You killed him!"

"I did not!" he shouted. "I do not kill children!"

She smirked and absently stroaked the plant beside her. "But I'll kill yours." she didn't meet his eyes as she seemed to be looking far away. "It's just too bad they both didn't die before."

"What do you mean by..." then it came to him. "Did you? Are you...?"

She smirked. "Of course."

"HOW COULD YOU!?" he shouted, lurching forward but not getting anywhere. "You're the one who attacked her aren't you?"

She smiled and nodded.

"Why?" he wanted to know. "She's never done anything to you! Why would you attack the baka ferry-"

"So you'd know what it was like," she interrupted. "So you'd know how it feels to have someone you cared about taken from you."

_But she wasn't taken from me. You didn't kill her. _Now it was his turn to smirk "I don't feel anything," he replied. "But the compelling urge to yank out your heart."

"And that," she said walking back to him and getting into his face. "Is exactly how I feel."

_A/N_

_And now you met the villian. I bet you all thought it would be a guy or something didn't you? Well it's not. It's a woman with a grudge because she thinks Hiei killed her baby. Don't worry. There won't be anymore references to abortion in here. I don't like discussing that. All well. Enough about that. I'll try to update soon. I bet you're all wondering what happened to Botan anyway. Well don't worry. She'll be fine... or will she?_


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

Milicent turned from Hiei again and went back to her plants. "If you had wanted to kill soemone so badly back then you should have killed me and left my child alone," she said, stroaking her plants. "It would have been better that way. That child had more life in him than I. He still had his whole life ahead of him."

"I never killed your child," he said again.

She waved him off. "Your memory is worse than I thought," was all she said before she left him alone.

* * *

Kurama knelt down to study Botan's oar. It was broken at the handle part and it looked like it had been chewed on by something. _What happened? Did she fall?_

He stood and looked around himself. He didn't see Botan but that didn't mean she wasn't close by. "Botan!" he called out. "Botan are you there? If you can hear me come out where I can see you!"

Nothing, not even a rustle in the brush.

_Where is she? _he wondered. _Could she have crashed and tired to find her way out of the woods? Is she lost? Is she hurt? _Well he knew just asking questions wouldn't get him anywhere. Since his car was out of gas and he couldn't really go anywhere, he figured he might as well look for her. _Maybe if and when I find her I'll find Hiei too. Maybe I can help him come up with an explaination for everything. or maybe we can find whoever left that pollen on Botan's floor. _

He cast one last look at his car. _Maybe I should call Yusuke and tell him what I'm going to do, _he thought. Then he thought better of it. It would be best if Urameshi didn't know. He turned off his phone and started his search.

* * *

Yusuke tried to call Kurama back. He waited for the phone to ring but heard nothing. It didn't take him long to figure out that Kurama had turned off his phone. "Damn it!" Yusuke shouted, throwing his phone against the wall.

"SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" the nurse ordered, getting out from behind the desk and walking up to him, her hands on her hips. "Now I've told you more than three times to be quite. I only allowed you back in here because you'd promised you wouldn't be so loud. If you make one more outburst I'm calling security and having them drag you out."

"Sorry," he said, laughing nervously.

"You should be," she said. "Now please be quite."

"Fine," he said walking toward the windows. "Why am I still here anyway?" he asked himself. "I should just leave." But he didn't leave. Something seemed to be keeping him there. Maybe he figured they'd come back to the hospital son. After all, Botan still needed treatment for what happened. "I just hope they come back for me."

* * *

Botan's heart raced as the darkness around her seemed to get more and more suficating. She couldn't breathe. She forced herself to move and her legs ran into something, knocking it over with a clatter. She lost her footing and tripped, her body hitting the cold ground with a thud. She moaned and forced herself to get up. She looked around at the darkness. She saw nothing but sensed something but she didn't know what. "Hello?" she called out to whoever it might be. "Hello? If soemone's there can you help me? Can you tell me where I am? Hello?"

Suddenly a loud rumbling sound reached her ears. She tensed, not sure what the sound ment, her eyes trying in vain to see what was causing it. Before long she was blinded by a sudden light that came through two doors that were opening slowly. She out up a hand to block the light as she slowly forced herself to stand and stagger toward it. "Hello?" she called out. "Who's there?"

The whole room seemed to light up and Botan had to close her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again she saw a pale woman in a short green dress standing in the open doorway. She smirked at the ferry girl. "So you finally woke up, wench," she said. She raised a hand and wiggled her fingers.

A giant vine grew out of the ground and wrapped itself around Botan. Botan screamed and struggled against the plant.

The pale woman laughed at her. "Try to escape all you want, but it won't do any good," she said.

Botan looked at her, fear showing on her face as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Why are you doing this to me?" she asked.

The woman laughed as if that question was stupid. "I," she said, walking up to Botan and poking her in the face with a green nail polished fingernail. "Didn't cause this."

"What do you mean by that?" the ferry girl asked.

"Let's just say," the woman said, poking Botan's face till she drew blood. "A certain demon is to blame."

"Who?" Botan asked.

The woman turned from Botan, licking the blood off her finger. She walked around her a moment then looked back at her, hate written on her face. "A Koorime," she said. "Your mate!"

_A/N_

_Waaaaaaah! I couldn't think of anything else. I'm getting writers block. Just when things are getting good too. I'll try my best. Okay? Please stay with me. Just to let ya know, Milicent's a bit screwy, lol._


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10 

"Hiei?!" Botan gasped. "How is Hiei to blame for this and how do you know that we're mates"  
Milicent smirked. "That wasn't too hard to figure out, honey," she said, still licking the blood off her finger. "I've been watching you two. I've seen everything you two do together behind your friend's backs. You both cover well when you're infront of people but anyone who has a grudge against that koorime could easily find out." she folded her arms, her face filled wiht disgust. "You aren't very discreet when you're by yourselves. You don't bother holding anything back." she turned from the ferry girl and started pacing, musing over the whole thing. "You'd think he'd have more caution, but when he's with you it seems he forgets that everyone is out to get him"  
"What do you mean"  
"What I mean, sugar, is that Hiei Jaganishi has more enemys than he thinks he does," Milicent replied. "Growing up he was one of the worst murderers in the Makai. There are plenty of demonic families that would love to see him dead"  
"Including you"  
"Including me"  
"Why?" Botan asked. "Why do you want him dead? What did he do to you"  
Milicent turned back to Botan and got right into her face. "He," she said, her voice cold. "Killed my baby"

* * *

Kurama was hopelessly lost. He'd gone walked away from Botan's oar and deeper into the forest, hoping he'd run into her but so far he'd seen nothing but a owl that has given him the willies. After walking around for awhile he'd lost all sense of direction and kept coming back to the same old ditch over and over again. It was getting annoying and he was losing patience. If he didn't find them or his way out soon he was going to go crazy. Okay, he thought, sitting on the round to rest for a moment. Just stay calm. Look around yourself again. Maybe you'll see something you didn't notice before. You can't be that lost. Just look around. You'll see something. He decided to follow his own advice. He looked around again. Though it was dark by now the full moon above cast a pale light into the forest. It lit up an area he hadn't noticed before. It looked like a clearing with a huge black hole on the one side. Wait. A black hole? He got up and walked into the clearing. With the light of the moon he could see a huge cave before him. A cave? he thought. He sensed some sort of presence coming from inside it. Something's in there. And it doesn't feel human.

* * *

Hiei struggled agianst the vine web, trying to yank himself free of the botony. So far he wasn't making much progress. Damn it! he thought, resting a moment. What kind of vines are these? He yanked on the vine again but it wouldn't give an inch. He glared at it and noticed it seemed to be getting thicker. It looked like it's tendrils were starting to wrap around his hand. What the hell?! What's going on?! That's when he noticed the more vines seemed to be growing around him. Some of them began to wrap around his body and he could do nothing about it. When he felt it starting to wrap around his neck he panicked and thrust his body forward. This caused some of the vines to break off but he was still stuck. He glared back at the vine web. The additional vines that had tried to encase him retreated and didn't come back. He sighed in relief and relaxed a moment. This is not going to happen, he thought. I won't let that wench kill me that way.

* * *

Botan stared at Milicent in shock. "H- he killed your baby?" she asked.  
"Yes," Milicent replied, looking sad. "and he will pay for what he's done." she clenched her fists in anger. "But hurting you has done nothing. I thought it would break him. But no. It did nothing. He's still the same"  
Botan felt she should explain that. "He"  
The female demon didn't want one. "What would break him?" Milicent interrupted, looking right at Botan as if she should know. "What would make him lose all hope in living? What would make him want to die more than anything else"  
Botan couldn't answer. She knew Hiei didn't really care about dying. Infact he'd often welcome the thought. Sometimes he'd tell her he deserved it. She knew that wasn't true. He didn't deserve to die. It wasn't his time yet. Botan knew that much. She also knew his spirit was hard to break. She'd never seen that happen. He had a thick wall hiding his inner core. It was hard to get to him. She'd only seen that wall crack once. The first and only time he'd cried. "You'll never break him like that," she said. "And what makes you say that?" Milicent asked, giving her a look.  
"I know it for a fact"  
Milicent smirked at her. "We'll see about that." she made the vines release Botan. The ferry girl fell to the floor. The demon of nature reached down and grabbed Botan by the arm. She wrenched the girl to her feet and pulled her out of the room with her. "Come with me"

* * *

Kurama hesitated. Should he go in there and investigate? For all he knew this whole thing cpould be his imagination, wishful thinking. But then again it might not be and maybe just maybe Hiei and Botan were in there. Well I can't do much standing out here wondering, he told himself. I either go in there and check or I stand out here and get lost again. He decided on the former and walked cautiously inside.

A/N Well now Kurama is on his way. Hopefully he'll find who he's looking for. Heheheh. I wonder how Hiei's gonna react when he sees Botan. I'm not sure if he should be mad or surprised. Then again why not have both? Anyway. That's it for now. I hope I'm not making these chapters too short. I got some writers block so I can't type much up. I'm sorry.


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

"Where are you taking me?" Botan asked as Milicent drug her through the dark caverns.

"You'll see," was the only answer she got.

The ferry girl began to get the worst feeling. She wasn't sure where she was being taken but she felt wherever it was she was going to wish she'd never been taken there. _Is she going to kill me? _she wondered. _Is she going to hurt my baby? What is she going to do? Should I try to get away? _She looked around herself. She saw no way out and nothing to help her get out if she tried.

* * *

Hiei had resorted to his teeth to try to free himself. He was just starting to chomp away at the vines, which were leaving a bad taste in his mouth, when he heard footsteps in the corridor. He spit out the vines and looked toward the door, wondering what Milicent was going to do when she came back it. He knew it would most likely be her because he figured Kurama and Yusuke didn't know where he was and it would be highly unlikely that either of them would have found out where he went so easily. He glared at the doorway, hoping his look would intimidate her if she came in. He was not expecting what he saw when she did come in and his face filled with surprise when he saw Botan being drug in behind her.

"Botan?" he said.

The ferry girl looked up at him, her face mirroring his expression. "Hiei?" she said, startled.

Now Hiei was angry, not just at Botan but at everything, but he took it out on her first. "You baka onna!" he shouted. "What the hell are you doing?! How did you get here? Why didn't you stay in the hospital, wench? What in hell were you thinking?!"

Botan looked away, intimidated. "I was looking for you-" she began.

"Why didn't you stay in the hospital, you stupid bitch?!" he shouted.

The ferry girl said nothing but Hiei noticed a strange triumphant look on Milicent's face. "What are you smirking about?" he demanded of her.

"You weren't expecting that were you?" she asked.

"What?!" he asked, confused by her answer. "What are you talking about now?"

"You didn't think I could come up with a way to get to you," she replied, looking smug. "Well now I have."

"What?" Botan asked.

Milicent grabbed Botan by both arms and started digging her clawlike nails into the ferry girl's pale arms. The ferry girl started squirming and letting out little pained sounds. Milicent didn't let go, she just stared at Hiei, watching for his reaction, as she tortured the girl. Hiei reacted angrily, jerking his body toward her in an attempt to stop her, to get at her and tear out her heart, but sicne he was still being held by her vines he got nowhere.

"Stop it!" he shouted at her.

"Why?" she asked, raking her arm down Botan's until she drew blood and made the girl cry out. "Don't you like that?"

He saw the pain and fear in Botan's eyes and couldn't stand it. This was the worst kind of torment. "Stop it right now!" he ordered. "She doesn't deserve that!"

"Why do you care about her?" Milicent asked, a challenge in her eyes. "I thought you cared about no one but yourself. I thought you liked seeing people suffering!"

"W-what?" Botan managed. She met Hiei's eyes again. _What does she mean? _she asked with her eyes.

Hiei read the question easily and looked away. He hadn't been responsible for what happened to her child. It had been someone else. If he had been he would have remembered it. "It wasn't me!" he shouted at Milicent.

"It was too!" she yelled back at him, giving Botan's arms one last scratch before letting her go. The ferry girl fell to the floor.. "It was you! He was there outside playing in the yard. Minding his own business! Playing with a little red ball, then... you come out and kill him for no reason!" she waved her arms franticly as she screamed. "You killed my son!"

Suddenly a thorn pierced through Hiei's hand and he cried out as he looked at the wound. Blood flowed from it and down his arm and sleave. He looked back at Milicent who glared at him. "How about I show you what real pain is?" she demanded. "How about I show you what it feels like to lose a child?"

"What do you-" then he saw Milicent roughly yank Botan from the ground. _A child! _he knew what she ment. The baby. Botan's baby. The one growing inside her. This crazy woman was going to kill it!

"Don't!" he shouted.

She stopped and looked back at him. "And why shouldn't I?" she demanded.

Hiei winced at the pain in his hand but answered her question. "Because it would be foolish," he told her. "Killing that unborn child won't bring your back."

"No but it will give me the satisfaction of knowing you lost yours," she retorted.

"That is stupid," he growled. "It won't change anything!" A sudden change came over him. "Besides; if you want to kill it go ahead. I won't care."

Botan gave him a look of shock. "Hiei!" she gasped, tears springing into her eyes.

He ignored her. "I didn't want that child to begin with," he said, his voice low and without any emotion. "It wasn't my fault the baka onna became pregnant. If she had told me I would of had her get rid of it."

"HIEI! HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT!?" Botan exclaimed, not believing what she was hearing.

Hiei glared at Botan. "I don't need to have any spawn!" he shouted at her.

Milicent gave him a look. "Typical man," she said, disgusted. "You don't care about it because you'll never know what it feels like to lose it. You wouldn't understand." she looked down at Botan who was crying. "She didn't kill my child." she let Botan go and she fell to the floor crying. She glared up at Hiei.

Suddenly the vines web holding him began to untangle him. He fell to the floor, holding his mained hand and ignoring Botan.

Milicent left the room for no reason, but Hiei knew she was coming back, he just didn't know when. He didn't know what she was doing now. Was she trying to confuse him? If she was it was working. He glanced over at the bawling Botan.

"Onna," he said.

She hiccuped and stopped crying. She looked up at him, her eyes cold. He knew why. She didn't like what he said and was mad at him. He didn't care. It had worked. For some reason he smirked.

Botan saw it and lost her temper. "Jerk!" she shouted, flying at him, her fists clenched and ready to beat him up. "You _inconsiderate jerk_! How _could_ you!" She landed on him and stared beating his face. "You _heartless_ son of a bitch! How could you say something like that?! How could you be so cold?!"

"Botan," he began.

"This is our _child_!" she screamed, beating on his face and chest now. "Our child! Well I'm not getting rid of it!"

"Botan," he tried again.

"You can do what you want but I'm _not_ having an adortion!" she shrieked, slapping him. "I'll keep this baby and make you be a man for once! You no good-"

"ONNA!" he shouted, hoping that would shut her up.

It did. She stopped talking and beating him and stared at him, her eyes never losing their anger. "What?" she demanded.

"I was lying," he said.

"What?!" she exclaimed in disbelief.

"I was lying," he said again, pushing her off of him so he could look at his hand again. He didn't feel like looking at her at the moment. "You think I want you to kill it? What else was I going to say? I couldn't have her killing you and the baby right in front of me! Did you _want _to die!?'

"No," she said. "But you didn't have to say it like that."  
"Then how did you want me to say it?" he asked, still not looking at her.

Botan said nothing.

Silence hung in the air for a few moments. Hiei stared at his hand, hoping it wouldn't be a serious wound. He needed his hand. He couldn't use a sword without it. Suddenly a pale hand reached out to touch his bloody one. He jerked it away but the hand gently touched it and pulled it back. He looked up. Botan was looking at the hand. "Let me have a look," she offered.

"Hn," he said, letting her look at it. "Fine."

Botan pulled his hand into her lap and carefully inspected the wound with her finger, being careful not to touch the actual wound. "It doesn't look that serious," she said, bringing up to her face for a loser inspection. "I don't think that vine hit any nerves. I think you'll still have full use of it."

That was good news but he didn't smile. He was still confused about why Milicent let him go like that and left. What was she planning now?

Suddenly he heard a ripping sound. He looked toward Botan and saw her ripping off some of her hospital gown. "What are you doing?" he demanded, not wanting her to lose more clthing that she already had.

She looked up and him and smiled slightly. "I'm going to use this to bandage your hand," she replied, starting to wrap the cloth around his wound.

"Hn," he said, looking away from her again. _So that's what it was. _"Thank you," he added in a small voice.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw small smile get a little bigger. "You're welcome," she said softly as she wrapped his hand up in the bandage. "That's what I'm here for."

_A/N_

_I'll stop iot here, cuz I totally forgot what else I was going to write. Milicent's not done yet. She'll be back. She's just got to think of another way to get to Hiei. Hehehehehe. Kurama's on his way, even if he wasn't mentioned in this chapter. _


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

Milicent angrily kicked over an empty vase that once held one of her most prized plants. Now that there was nothing in it she took out her anger on it, kicking and punching the giant steel vase, as she vented. "He's just like all men," she grumbled. "Doesn't care about children. Always kills children! Always killing children! Well I won't stand for it!" she hit the vase again. "I'll see it he's telling the truth!" she looked down at her hands. "I'll get into his mind. I'll see if he cares at all." She looked around herself at the plants. "After all, it did seem strange that his attitude suddenly changed like that for no good reason. I think he was lying." she smiled to herself. "In fact; I _know_ he was."

* * *

Botan was finished bandaging Hiei's hand. Now they sat close together, Botan's head rested on Hiei's shoulder while he sat starting thoughtfully at nothing. The ferry girl didn't bother asking him what he was thinking about, she'd known him long enough to not ask, she just let herself doze while he thought about things. She was tired, so tired and he didn't seem to want to talk anyway. _But I wonder what he's thinking about? _she asked herself as she began to doze. _Is he thinking of a way to get us out of here? Is he thinking about the baby? Is he thinking about what that strange demon said? _

Botan wasn't likely to get an answer if she voiced these questones but if she had she would have been right on the money. The fact was; he was thinking about all three subjects just not in the same order.

_So Botan was pregnant, _he thought. _I was hoping that thing I found was wrong. After all; they're not always accurate. I guess this time it was. But what am I going to do now? I'm not really ready to be a father. What will I do when it's born? I know Botan's not getting rid of it. But will I be able to take up that responsibility? Will I be like my father? I never met him. I don't even think my mother knew who he was. _he shook his head. _No. I will not be like him. Only a coward leaves the female with all the responsibilities. I won't become like him, whoever he was. I'll stay. _He looked at Botan who dozed with her head on his shoulder. _I'll stay for both of them..._ he looked away from Botan and looked around himself, ignoring the pain in his hand. _I won't be able to do anything if we don't get out of here. _That thought reminded him of why he was even in this mess. _Milicent. She thinks I killed her child. I know I didn't. Why would she say that? What if she's lying? What if she has another reason for doing this? What if she's just trying to get into my head and confuse me? Make me think I did something I know I didn't... _but that thought brought doubt with it. _but what if I had? _he shook his head to remove the question. _No you didn't! If you did you would have remembered it, idiot! You're letting her get to you after all. I thought you were stronger than that! _he clenched his fists and his hand punished him for it, He ignored it. _She's not going to get away with this. She hurt Botan for no good reason. I won't let her live!_

Hiei gently took Botan's head off his shoulder and laid her on the ground. He stood up and took a good look around the room. _She has to have it somewhere close by, _he thought as his ruby colored eyes scanned the shelves and empty vases for something. _She can't have taken that sword very far. It's too heavy for her. Even if she did she wouln't know how to wield it. _He walked over to some of the shelves and began poking through them. _It's here somewhere. _

It didn't take him long to look at all the shelves and soon he went to the vases. The first vase he check seemed to have something in it but when he looked a Venus flytrap popped out of it and almost bit his head off. He cursed and jerked bakc, seconds before it could have. He glared at the plant, wishing he had his sword so he could chop its head off. "Get back in your cage," he growled at it.

The plant roared at him one more time then went back into hiding. Hiei glared at the vase a little longer, making sure it's tenant didn't come back out then turned his attention on the other vases. "I'll have to be more careful," he told himself.

* * *

Kurama wasn't lost but he didn't know where he was going either. Whenever he thought he was going toward the thing he felt, he'd take a wrong turn and the presence would vanish like it was never there. _What is going on here? _he wondered, looking around himself at the glowing moss. _Why can't I seem to find what I can feel? Is it moving? _Yeah it had to be moving, how else wouldn't he be able to get a fix on it? _Well, moving or not I have to find it. It might have Hiei and Botan. _That stopped him. Now he was sensing more than one presense. Now he was feeling to things of demon energy and one set of spirtual energy. That could only mean one thing. _Hiei and Botan _are_ here. _He continued walking. _ All I have to do is find them. _

* * *

Botan woke from her nap to a strange sight. She sat up to find half of Hiei's body inside a giant metal vase by the shelves. She stared at him a moment, watching his legs swing up and down, wondering if she should laugh or be concerned. "Hiei?" she said after a moment. 

"MMMMMMMMPH!" he exclaimed, swinging his legs harder.

"Are you okay?" she asked getting up.

She heard him yell or thought she heard him yell, it was too muffled to really tell. "HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELPPP!" and sprung into action, grabbing his legs and tugging on them hard. "Okay, on the count of three, I'll pull you out," she said, getting a firm grip on his legs. "One, two, three!" and she heaved mightly.

After a few seconds of more tugging there was a popping sound and Hiei came out of the vase and flew into Botan, knocking her to the floor with him on top of her. "Ow!" she exclaimed, feeling his rear end on her stomach. "Get off me!"

Hiei quickly scrambled off her and eyed her with concern. "Are you all right?" he asked. "I hope I didn't kill the baby."

Botan stood up, her hand going to her stomach. She felt some movement and shook her head. "No, I don't think so," she said staring at him. "Thank you for being concerned, though."

"Hn," he looked away from her, caught.

"By the way," she said. "How did you end up in that vase like that?"

He refused to meet her eyes, to embarrased to want to talk about it.

She took a guess. "Where you looking for something?" she asked.

He didn't look at her but did nod.

"What was it?" she wanted to know.

He held something up. "This," he replied.

Botan eyed the object in his hand. A sword. His sword. "So she'd taken it from you," she said stating fact, but not asking a question.

He nodded again, cradleing the sword in his arms. "Just like she's trying to take everything." he said absently.

Botan didn't even ask him what he ment. She already knew. Milicent was trying to make Hiei pay for what had happened to her by trying to kill Botan and their unborn child. Botan knew Hiei wasn't about to let that happened and if Botan had her way neither would she. _Whatever happened to her wasn't my fault, _she thought. _I won't let her have her way. _she looked at Hiei who surprisingly was looking back at her.

"Hiei?" she said.

He set his sword down on the floor and reached over to take her hand, something he never did. "It's not going to happen," he said to her, looking right into her eyes. "I won't let it. I won't let _her_. You can stop worrying."

"I'm not worried," she said.

He gave her a look that said he didn't believe her. He knew better. "Tell that to someone who wouldn't know you were lying," he told her. He pulled her toward him and into his arms. "You know I can read your mind. I know when you don't tell the truth."

_I wish I could say the same thing, _she thought, not really wanting him to hold her but not wanting to offend him by moving away. _Why don't you tell me what exactly happened with that lady and her child._

_Because there is nothing to tell you, _he thought back. _if there was I would have told you. I have no reason to lie about such things. _

_That's not true, _she argued back.

_Do you believe her? _he sounded spiteful.

_No, but-_

_Then there's nothing to say. _

Botan had a feeling there was.

* * *

Milicent finaly calmed down enough to head back toward the room where she'd left Hiei and Botan. Since she figured they might try to get away she'd had a barrior set up that made fire demons unable to escape. Even if Botan had tried to escape herself the nature demons plants would have taken care of her. She smiled to herself as she removed the seals and stepped into the room, holding one in her hand. 

Hiei noticed her and let Botan go, getting to his feet and standing between her and the woman. "What do you want now, wench?" he demanded.

She chuckled and waved the seal lazily. "You know what I want," she said. "And I will get it."

"You won't get it," he said, unsheathing his sword. "I won't let you."  
She smirked at him. "I see you've found your sword," she said. "Too bad it won't be of any use to you!" she threw the seal at Hiei.

The seal landed on his chest. Botan watched in horror as electricity shot through and around Hiei who groaned in pain then fell to the floor, dropping his sword in the process. "Hiei!" she exclaimed, getting up to help him.

Milicent summomed vines that knocked Botan back onto the floor. Botan tried to get up but the vines held her down. "I'll deal with you in a minute," she said to the ferry girl. "But right now I need to see something." She walked over to Hiei and turned him over, grasping the collar of his cloak in her hand. He moaned in pain as she lifted her hand and set her palm on his forehead, in the spot where his jagan eye was hidden under his bandana. Wiht nothing to stop her she closed her eyes and consentrated.

_A/N_

_Something's about to happen. Milicent's going to find out the truth. I wonder how she's going to react to it. I have no idea if demons can use seals on each other so I took a guess. If I am wrong please don't correct me. Hmm this fic's longer than I thought it would be._

_Just a reminder; If I don't get any reviews I'm not going to update.  
_


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

Kurama sensed the presence was getting closer as he walked down another tunnel, this one leading downward. He wasn't sure what he was going to find when he reached the end so he had his rose wip ready just incase. So far he hadn't run into anything but that didn't necessarily mean he wouldn't.

_This just doesn't make any sense,_ he thought. _Why would the thing that attacked Botan stick around like this? Why didn't it go back to the Makai? Is it unable to? Or... Was it waiting for something? _The fox demon quickly figured that if Hiei had managed to get away like he had and went after the demon responsible it would most likely find some place to lie in wait for him to come find it_. Just like a spider. _Kurama looked around himself, spotting a light coming from a cavern ahead of him. _But, was Hiei foolish enough to walk right into it? _

* * *

Botan fought against Milicent's demonic vines, trying vainly to free herself and help Hiei who seemed unable to move as the nature demon probed his mind for what she wanted. _She's going to kill him,_ the ferry girl thought. _Whether or not she finds out what she wants she's still going to kill him_. Botan tugged on the vines holding her down. _I have to do something! I have to stop her! _"STOP IT!" she shouted. "Let him go!"

Milicent stopped concentrating and looked at Botan. "Be quite!" she ordered, raising a hand.

A vine wrapped around Botans neck and choked any other words out of her. The ferry girl tried to scream but her voice was gone. _Hiei!_ she thought, grabbing the vine around her neck and pulling on it. _Hiei!_

_Botan..._

The ferry girl froze. "Hiei?" she said staring at him. He didn't look like he was even aware of what was going on. Yet...

_Botan._ his voice in her head again.

_Hiei?_

_Let her be._

_What?_

_Let her be. Let her find out what she needs to know._

_But... I... you... she'll just kill us either way._

_Let her think that. Let her think she's won._

_Why?_

_I can still move._

_You can still move? But you've got a seal on you. How can you still move?_

_It's practically useless._

_What do you mean?_

_Aside from it hurting me a little when it came on, it's useless. _

_It is... _Botan looked up at Hiei. She saw his eyes crack open partway and a smug smile crossed his lips.

_She doesn't realize how powerless she really is..._

Botan said nothing. She noticed a strange gleam in his eyes. She'd seen that look before, many times. He was close enough to the woman now. That's what he'd wanted all along. She knew what he was planning. He was going to kill Milicent.

* * *

Kurama stepped out of the tunnel and into something he hadn't expected to see down there in the dark. _What the?_ he stared at a greenhouse of plants before him. _What in the world is this?_ He felt that presence again. All around the room. It also seemed to be seeping from the plants, as if they were being grown from the energy. _What is going on here? What kind of demon is this? One that can control plants? Like me? A fox demon? _He felt the presence getting stronger in this room. He started walking again keeping a safe distance from the flora but still holding his wip at ready. Plants grown from demonic energy seemed to have a will of their own sometimes. He should know.

He got about halfway through the room when he heard a screeching sound behind him. He quickly turned and found a Venus flytrap towering over him. _Damn! _he thought, flicking his wip. The thorny vine wrapped around the stem of the giant man eating plant and when Kurama wipped it back it cut the flower part off the stem. The plant screeched again as it fell to the floor, dead.

Kurama sighed and looked around at the other plants. They weren't even bothering to get after him. He sighed again and resumed.

* * *

Milicent probed Hiei's mind, trying to find that one memory that would make him guilty. So far she'd seen him kill many demons, all adults, but no children. _It has to be here, _she thought, digging deeper._ It just has to be._

_You'll never find it._

The demon froze. Hiei's voice. She ground her teeth. _I will find it. It's here somewhere_.

_If you dig any deeper you'll just got into the ones where I was an infant. _

_You're lying._

_I'm not that old either. Tell me. How much can a seventeen year old remember? _

_More than you think._

_You're just being foolish. But if you want the truth I'll tell you. _

_Finally._

_I **did** meet your child once. _

_Ah hah!_

_He kicked a ball into my face. _

_So you got angry and killed him._

_No, I got angry and sliced his ball into little pieces. I don't kill children. What do you think I am? _

_Show me that memory._

_It's there. Find it yourself. If I show you you'll just think I altered it. _

_Hmmm..._

Milicent found the memory a little later. It was right there. Sometime after he left the floating ice demon island. She watched the whole thing, hoping he had been lying, but he wasn't. As she watched it was just like he said. There was no more to it after he walked away, leaving her child crying over his popped ball. Nothing. Nothing at all. The demon froze, tears coming to her eyes. _No!_ she thought, her grip on the collar of his cloak trembling. _This can't be right! It can't be._

"But," Hiei's voice broke into her thoughts. She looked right at him. His eyes were wide open, a deadly shadow crossing over them, as he raised his hands and grabbed her arms. "It is... I hope you said your prayers."

_A/N_

_Ha ha! Take that, bitch!_

_This fic's almost over. Just a few more chapters. Man I can't believe this idea wouldn't leave me alone. It kept on coming back. I wonder why. I guess I'll never know. Anyway. After this fic I'm going to work on another HB. It's not a sequel and the plot is totally different. I won't spoil it for you. Just keep an eye out for it okay? I hope you'll still be able to tolerate my strange writing style. _


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

Botan watched as panic began to flower in Milicent's eyes. Hiei's face was grim and angry and a tad hesitant. The onna knew he'd never hurt a woman before so if he killed Milicent like he said he was going to it would be his first.

His voice held malice as he spoke coldly. "I don't know who or what gave you the idea that I killed your brat but I'm not about to let you walk after what you've done to Botan." he gave a smirk. "Just to let you know you'll be the first woman I've ever killed. You should feel privileged."

Milicent trembled then screamed. "NO!" she put up her arms and a huge vine grew out of the ground separating the two. Hiei fell onto his back and Milicent scrambled away.

"You're not getting away that easily!" he shouted after her, getting up.

"Hiei!" Botan screamed.

He looked back at the ferry girl. He saw her tangled in the vines and used his sword to skillfully cut her lose. "Are you all right?" he asked her as he helped her up.

"I'm fine," she said. "But-"

The fire demon was no longer listening. Satisfied that Botan was okay he gripped his sword handle and ran blindly after Milicent.

Though Milicent had done horrible things to both her and Hiei, Botan couldn't just let him go after her and kill her in cold blood. She had to stop him. Slowly she picked herself and ran after him, her long blue hair flying behind her head like a blue banner.

* * *

Kurama heard a scream and stopped dead in his tracks. _What was that?!_ He listened for a moment. This time he heard the sound of running feet and someone breathing heavily. Someone was coming his way at a pretty fast pace. _Maybe that's Hiei or Botan or both. _he thought, running toward it.

He hadn't gotten farther than four steps when a blond woman in a green strapless dress came running out of another tunnel. She was looking over her shoulder and didn't see him. They collided and fell to the ground.

"Ow!" she wailed, landing on her rear end. She opened her eyes and saw Kurama also on the ground, staring at her. She stared back in shock until she remembered why she'd been running.

She jumped to her feet and started running again, ignoring Kurama.

The fox demon wasn't sure why but he reached out and grabbed her ankle. She lost her footing and fell to the ground again, skinning her palms and knees. "Ow!" she wailed again. She looked over her shoulder at him. "Why did you do that? Can't you see I'm trying to get away!?"

"Yes," he replied, getting on his hands and knees and pushing himself up. "I wonder why." he gave her a once over. "Tell me, you wouldn't happen to be running away from fire would you?"

She scrambled to her feet and kept her distance. "What business is that of yours?" she demanded, setting her stance.

"Everything if I'm right," he put exposing his rose wip.

She saw the wip. "So you're one of them are you?" she said, stepping back so she had more plants between her and him. "I bet you've come to help them. Why does he need you anyway? He'll probably kill me just as easily without help."

Kurama stared at her. "He?" he said.

Just then he heard a noise behind him and looked over his shoulder. He saw Hiei, his cloak spattered with blood and his eyes full of blood lust, standing at the entrance of the tunnel the woman had just come out of. "Milicent!" he shouted, running forward, totally unaware of Kurama. "Your time is ending!"

The female demon screamed and shouted at him. "Not if I can help it!" she raised her arms and vine plants grew out of the ground and came at him. Kurama had to dodge out of the way or risk being impaled by the vines.

Hiei cut the vines up with his sword before they even got to him and ran around a table full of plants. Milicent raised her arms and the plants on the table grew ten feet and chased after the fire demon. He growled and slid under the table, kicking it over as he did so. The plants and their pots fell to the ground and the pots shattered into pieces.

"Look what you've done!" the female demon screamed, jerking back when Hiei's sword got close enough to sever her head.

He smirked at her. "Like I _care_ what happens to your plants!" he said swinging around and chopping off the stem of a Venus flytrap that had snuck up behind him.

Milicent ground her teeth in anger and summoned more plants to widen the distance between her and the fire demon. His sword easily took care of them and she was on her own again. She dashed behind another table but before she could make use of those plants, but Hiei kicked the table over and she had to jump back or be crushed under the weight.

She dashed away again as his sword barely missed her when he swung it at her. She looked around herself but her plants were getting scares and she didn't have enough energy to summon anymore from the ground. _He's wearing me out,_ she thought. _He's going to wear me out **then** kill me!_

She ran around another table. Hiei's sword came from a place she didn't see and cut a huge gaping wound in her side. She cried out and fell to the ground, holding the bloody wound. She lay there panting and wincing in pain then notice a sword point at her throat and looked up. Hiei stood over her with killer eyes looking ready to finish her off now that he had her where he wanted her. She closed her eyes as tears sprung from them and trailed down her cheeks. _I'm going to die! I'm really going to die!_

* * *

Botan reached the cavern and leaned against the stone wall, panting. She stared at the mess Hiei had created from Milicent's plants and also spotted Kurama rubbing his head as if he'd been struck by something. _Kurama? How did he get here?_ she would find out later. She looked around the trashed room. _Where is Hiei? _

She spotted him over to the left, standing over Milicent who lay on the ground with an open wound. His sword was at the woman's throat and it seemed as if he was hesitating. Botan hoped he was but it was unlikely that he'd stay that way.

"Hiei..." she whispered, staring at him. "Please... don't do it..." She saw his raised his sword. "No...!" she gasped. "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" without thinking about the consequences she ran toward him. "HIEI, STOP!"

He didn't seem to hear her. She heard him make a loud desperate sounding cry then swing his sword down at the woman. Botan pushed off with her one foot and flung herself across the room. She grabbed his arm and pulled it away as she landed on the ground beside him.

Hiei froze in shock then glared down at Botan wondering why she'd stopped him. He saw her curled up on the ground, gripping his sword arm tightly. "Don't!" she cried, looking at him with tear stained eyes. "Don't do it, Hiei!"

"Onna!" he shouted, angry and surprised that she'd stopped him. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"Don't kill her!" she pleaded. "Just don't!"

"Why not?" he demanded. "She was going to kill us! She beat you up and tried to kill our child! Why _shouldn't_ I kill her?"

She looked into his eyes. She spoke the words in a soft voice full of hope. "Because you're better than that."

Hiei stared at her then at Milicent who lay trembling on the ground with a bloody wound. She was waiting for him to kill her. He gave the woman a once over. She looked so pathetic and frail. He looked away sighing. He couldn't kill her after all. He'd never hurt or killed a woman before. He couldn't start now. His eyes met Botan's again. She was still giving him a hopeful look.

"Okay," he said to her. "You win." He loosed his grip on the sword and it clattered to the ground.

_A/N_

_I couldn't kill her. I really wanted to but I couldn't. I hate writing about people killing each other. Don't worry. She will be punished for what she did. The only reason Botan saved her life is because she felt sorry for her. I hope it was still good. Hope you enjoyed it anyway. Just to let you know I only have one or two chapters left then I'm done. :sigh: all well..._


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

Hiei ignored Milicent as he helped Botan to her feet. "Are you all right?" he asked.

She smiled at him and nodded. "I'm fine now," she replied. Her hand grasped his firmly. "Thank you for asking."

He smiled slightly as he turned to Kurama who was just getting up. "Kurama," he said. "How did you get here?"

"It wasn't easy," the fox demon replied, walking over to his friends. He looked at Botan. "Why did you leave the hospital, Botan?" he asked. "Something could have happened to you."

"I was trying to find Hiei," Botan replied. "There was something important I had to tell him."

"And what was that?" he asked.

She looked away, embarassed. "I can't tell you," she said. "It's a secret."

"I think I already know," he said.

Both Hiei and Botan stared at him. "You do?" they said.

"Yes," he replied. "You're mates and Botan is pregnant."

"How did you find that out?" Hiei demnaded, glaring at his friend. "Have you been spying on us?"

"No," Kurama said. "I went back to Botan's apartment and found a pregnancy test."

"How did you know it was ours?" Botan asked.

"That wasn't too hard to figure out," The fox replied. He looked at Hiei. "I've noticed how close you've been standing so closely by Botan lately and how often you two have gone off together the last few months. I wondered why you didn't say anything though."

"I wasn't anyone's business," Hiei told him. "I didn't want anyone to know."

"Why not?"

"We weren't ready to tell anyone yet," Botan replied. "The only person who does know is Mukuro."

Kurama looked surprised. "Mukuro?" he said. "Why her?"

"She's the one who had us wed," she replied. "We couldn't get married at a Living World church because then it would be in the papers. We knew Mukuro could keep a secret."

"She was? She can?" Kurama couldn't believe it. The fox demon had always thought Mukuro had feelings for Hiei. _I guess she didn't want to stand in the way of what he decided. _

"Don't tell anyone else," Hiei told his friend, a threat in his eyes. "Because if you do-"

"Hey, hey," Kurama said, holding up his hands. 'I'm not going to tell anyone about it. I promise." then he turned his attention to the woman on the ground. "What are we going to do with her?"

Hiei looked at Milicednt and grabbed her arm roughly pulling her to her feet. "You think of something," he said, thrusting her at him. "I'm sick of seeing her face." he looked at Botan. "Come on," he said, scooping her up in his arms. "Let's get you back to the hospital."

She cast one last look at Milicent. The woman looked pitiful and defeated. _Poor Girl..._ "Okay," she agreed, looking back at Hiei and wrapping her arms around his neck.

Hiei looked at Kurama one more time then got out of there.

Kurama watched them go then looked down at Milicent who seemed to be withering in his grasp. "I'd better take you to Koemna," he said.

* * *

Yusuke was just starting to get worried when he heard a noise coming from Botan's hospital room. Not sure what it could mean he ran inside and stopped when he saw Hiei gently setting Botan back onto her bed. The Koorime seemed to have sensed the half demon come in and looked up at him. "Urameshi," he said, his voice cold.

"Hiei!" Yusuke gasped. "What are you doing here? What did you do to Botan _now_?"

"I didn't do anything to Botan!" Hiei yelled, getting sick of that accusation. "For your information a demon bitch was the one who injured Botan! She tried to kill her and staged it so I would get blamed!"

"I find that hard to believe."

"I don't care _what _you believe!" the fire demon growled, walking over to Yusuke. "Why don't you talk to Kurama about it? I think he'll be back from the Spirit World soon."

"What's he doing there?"

Hiei turned from Yusuke and walked back over to Botan's bed. "Taking the real guilty party to Koemna." he replied, his voice loosing all emotion. "You're such a fool. I can't believe you'd think I'd hurt this woman. I'm not that kind of person, Urameshi. I don't harm females. You should know that by now..."

Yusuke said nothing. He remembered everytime he'd been around Hiei or people told him about events that involved Hiei. Nobody had ever said Hiei hurt any females. In fact the only female he'd ever beat up on was Mukuro but they'd been pitted against each other and had had no choice. _What was I thinking? _the boy wondered, feeling stupid for everything he'd said. "I'm sorry," he said.

Hiei looked over his shoulder at the raven haired boy. "I'll accept your apology when I feel good and ready to," he said. "But right now I want you to get out of my face."

Yusuke didn't bother arguing with him. He just stepped out of the room, feeling foolish for what he'd accused Hiei of the past two days. _I should have known better._

* * *

"I'm sorry," Hiei said, sitting down on the chair beside the bed.

"For what?" Botan asked, looking at him confused.

"I'm sorry I couldn't keep you safe," he said. "I should have figured this would happen. I should have known better than too..."

Botan put a hand on his arm. "It's okay," she said, her candy eyes full of understanding. "You did your best. You saved my life and our child's. I forgive you. I'm just sorry I thought it might have been you who had done this."

He looked away. "You should have known better," he told her, his voice betraying aggrivation.

"I know," she said, not wanting him to be angry. "I know I should have known better. I never should have doubted you." she played with the blanket covering her a moment, as she thought about an important matter, then asked. "When will you be ready to tell them about us?"

He looked at her then out the window. "When the baby comes," he replied, his voice sounding hesitant. "Because then it will be unavoidable."

She nodded with agreement. "Yes," she said, knowing he was right. "I think that would be for the best."

_A/N_

_Hehehe. I got a little surprise for you all coming in a few days. I'm almost done with the story, though so the next chapter will explain the fate of Milicent and the fate of Hiei and Botan and their baby. Stay tuned. :D_


	16. Chapter 16

_Epologue_

_Seven months later_

Botan lifted little Yuki out of her cradle and carried her into the living room, talking to her the whole way. "C'mon, honey, Aunty Yukina wants to see you," she said. "And we don't want to keep her waiting do we?"

Botan stepped into the livingroom with the baby and was welcomed by oohs and aahs and "she's so cutes". She smiled at the people in her living room, handing the baby to Yukina who had her arms oustretched, waiting to hold her little niece. It was seven months (she'd been two months pregnant at the time) since the demon Milicent had tried to kill Botan and her and Hiei's unborn child and things were finally getting back to normal. Her wounds had healed and the scars were only barely visable. Hiei's hand wound had also healed and he had full use of his hand.

When Yuki was born Hiei and Botan had told their friends about their relationship just like they said they would. Needless to say everyone, except for Kurama who already knew, where shocked and surprised. Kuwabara had started laughing and Hiei had punched him out of the window, saying if he laughed about it again he'd kill him. Also, since Yuki was born, Hiei had finally told Yukina he was her brother and she was an aunt. Yukina had been thrilled at the news and hugged both Hiei and Botan for about ten minutes, her tear gems hitting the floor and making a mess that Kuwabara slipped on when he came into the room again.

"She is a beautiful baby," Keiko commented now as she watched Yukina cuddle her little niece.

"Thank you," Botan said, sitting down beside Hiei on the sofa.

Yukina looked Yuki over. "I noticed her hair's green like mine," she said. "I wonder how that happened."

"I have no idea," Botan admitted. "Maybe the ice maidens have dominant genes..."

"Maybe."

Hiei noticed Kurama smiling at the happy couple and asked a question he was waiting for an answer for. "So whatever happened to that bitch that tried to kill us?" he asked.

Kurama shugged. "Koemna had her sentence ready but then she went and killed herself," he answered. "So Koeman had to punish her a different way. I have no idea what he sentence was after that."

There was a short silence then Botan said. "I feel kind of bad for her."

"Why?" Hiei demanded. "She tried to kill you. Why would you feel bad for her?"

"She just wanted the person who killed her baby to pay," Botan replied. "If you'd been in her situation you would do the same thing.."

Hiei thought about it a moment then nodded. He would have.

"So," Yusuke said, looking at Kurama. "Who _did_ kill her baby?"

Kurama said. "His father."

"His father?"

"He didn't want her to keep the baby but she did anyway and ran away," the fox replied. "When he finally found the baby after following Hiei around for awhile." Kurama looked at Hiei and said as a side note. "He wanted your tear gem and was planning on killing you for it."  
"Hn," Hiei grunted, looking away. "That would be impossible."

"Anyway," Kurama went on. "After Hiei had that run in with Milicent's little boy the father recognized the baby since it looked just like its mother and killed him." Kurama gave another side note to Hiei. "That's why she thought you had killed him. She'd seen you in the area about that time then looked way then back again when she heard her baby scream. She never saw the father but she'd seen you. That's why she thought you'd killed her son."

So Hiei had finally gotten his answer. "I ran into the baby's father later," he said, remembering. "The demon said he'd kill me like he'd just done to his kid." Hiei shrugged. "I killed him easily but the thought never came to mind. I figured he was just boasting to intimidate me."

Yuki started fussing so Yukina gave her back to Botan. Botan held the baby in her arms and smiled at her cute little face. Hiei smiled too.

"Well at least she didn't kill Yuki like she said she would," Botan said, cuddling her baby. "If she had I don't know what I would have done. I probably would have died."

"You can't die," Yusuke pointed out to her. "You're already immortal."

She stuck her tongue out at him.

"I know what she means," Hiei said, putting an arm around his mate. "She was just using an expression, idiot."

"I know that," Yusuke said defensively.

"_Sure_ you were."

"Okay, okay," Botan said as Yuki started to fuss. "Please stop yelling. You're upsetting the baby."

Hiei calmed down. "Sorry," he said, sounding as if he really ment it.

She smiled at him and he blushed. She looked at everyone who was making faces. Kuwabara was making kissy noises. Hiei glared at him but Botan didn't really mind. She didn't care what anyone thought. She was happy the way she was. She out an arm over Hiei's shoulders. _I don't care what any of you think, _she thought. _I have the man I want and a beautiful baby. I'm happy now. This is what I want... _

Hiei, who was getting sick of Kuwabara, got off the sofa and stormed over to thr carrot top who was still making kissy noises. He bopped him over the head and the big idiot fell to the floor, seeing stars.

Botan looked away so no one would see her smile as she looked into Yuki's face. _And I wouldn't change it for anything..._

_A/N_

_Just an epologue. Now you know what actually happened to Milicent's baby. Hehehehe. I hope you liked it. Till next time._

**THE END**


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